MILITARY DID THE FIRST SHOT IN VIOLATION OF SOMO-SOMA

By Mike G. Kulat

Ten civilian evacuees mostly children were wounded in an explosion believably from a mortar shell at an evacuation center in Dulangan Abid Primary School of Barangay Makasendeg, Pikt, North Cotabato at around 4:30 p. m. last Thursday.

A member of the Tiyakap Kalilintad in the area revealed that the explosion happened while most of the children were playing at the school playground that resulted to wounding of the following: Sittie Ansa Sumiling, 35 years old; Datumama Sumiling, 13; Muslimen Gendeng, 8; Mahdi Abdul, 8, Nasrudin Iskak, 5; Alamin Iskak, 3; Rehana Iskak, 4; Bibay Salapudin, 11; Nuraida Ibrahim, 13, and Datu Ali Dagandang, 13.

Yul Olaya, Bantay Ceasefire Coordinator as quoted in GMA News last Thursday said that: “the mortar shell, which dropped and exploded near Makasendig Elementary School in Pikit town at about 5:30 p.m., was fired from the Army’s 54th Infantry Battalion and was intended for Moro rebels.” A statement which was corroborated by civilians in the vicinity of Makasendeg, adding that this was not the first time the same military outfit conducted indiscriminate mortar shelling in different directions exploding around twelve mortar shells a day before the tragic incident.

In a related development, Rexall Kaalim a senior official of Bantay Ceasefire, was quoted as saying: “This is the first case of violation to the SOMO. We have to investigate this to aid us in drafting and recommending guidelines in ensuring the safety of civilians.”

The military, in an interview with local radio reporters admitted conducting mortar shelling in order to pacify warring armed groups led by certain Commander Tata, allegedly belonging to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and a certain Commander Quiapo, leader of Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Units (CAFGU) in Datu Piang, Maguindanao Province.

The following day, an interview by local radio station in Cotabato City stated that the military accused the MILF of being responsible for the mortar shelling. An accusation quickly denied by the MILF through Ghazali Jaafar, Vice Chairman for Political Affairs saying ”It’s not the work of the MILF to attack civilian populace. How can they attack civilians when most of them are either their relatives or close friends? And what can we gain from bombing the civilians?”