| Army commander to allow entry of wounded MILF rebels in Davao Sur |
| Written by Eldie S. Aguirre | |
| Thursday, 21 August 2008 | |
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Military operatives in Davao del Sur will not harm wounded members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) seeking medical attention in local hospitals in the province.
Lt. Col. Lyndon Paniza, commanding officer of the Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion in a media interview assured MILF rebels of their safety in the province.
“We will not touch them, including their escorts as long as they will not carry firearms and pledge not to create trouble in our area of responsibility,” Paniza said.
Paniza said it is a proof that we did not want to wage war against the MILF, “and we know that they are also Filipinos just like the members of the armed forces.”
The military commander, whose area of responsibility is the entire province of Davao del Sur and Toril District in Davao City, said there are no signs of hostile troop movement that could trigger alarm for people living in the locality.
“However, we are beefing up perimeter defense as part of our security measures to ensure the safety of lives and properties of the people,” Paniza said.
Davao del Sur is situated at boundaries of Sarangani Province in the South; North Cotabato in the West and Davao City in the North. The Eastern portion of the province is the Davao Gulf.
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