MILF releases 38 soldiers ‘held’ for more than 25 hours

MORE than three dozen Special Forces soldiers earlier detained for more than 25 hours in Lanao del Sur by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have been released late yesterday afternoon.

Col. Michele Anayron Jr., commander of the 403rd Brigade said the soldiers belonging to the Army’s 1st Special Forces Battalion were released after the arrival of the government and MILF Coordinating Committees on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) in Maguing town, Lanao del Sur Wednesday.

The MILF earlier “put on hold “ the soldiers after they strayed close to the camp of its 103 Base Camp in Barangay Delimbayan, also in Maguing town at around 4:30 pm Tuesday.

The soldiers — three Special Forces teams — have just raided a nearby camp of the New Peoples Army’s Sub-regional Committee 5 and were going home when they strayed close to the perimeter of the 103 Base Camp in Barangay Delimbayan.

“The soldiers are also safe and have gone back to their headquarters. We used the peace mechanisms to effect their release,” Anayron said.

The government and the MILF signed a peace agreement in 2014 ending the decades-old insurgency and paving the way for the creation of a new Muslim autonomous entity, the Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Anayron said the delayed release of the soldiers was caused by the late arrival of the government and MILF CCCH teams in Barangay Delimbayan.

He said the government CCCH team led by Brig. General Eduardo Gubat arrived at the MILF camp before lunch while the MILF team led by its Chair Butch Malang arrived around 2 pm yesterday.

“After a short talk, the soldiers were released and allowed to leave the MILF camp,” Anayron said.

Malang earlier coordinated with Gubat on what to do with the detained soldiers in barangay Delimbayan.

“In this regard, we would like to seek your recommendation with regard to the proper handling of the said 38 soldiers in reference to existing ceasefire protocols,” Malang said in his note to Gubat.