Police chief released in southern Philippines

Manila: Members of a Filipino-Muslim rebel group released a police chief hours after being abducted during an attack at a police headquarters in the southern Philippines, sources said.

Members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) group, which has been engaged in peace talks with the Philippine government since 1997, released Police chief Supt Christopher Panapan of Marawi City in Nosa village, Balindong town in Lanao del Sur province on Friday afternoon, Col Glen Macasero, commander of the Philippine Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade, told ANC, a TV network.

Emissaries of the MILF turned over Panapan to former Wato Mayor Benjamin Bagul, said Macasero.

Panapan was abducted early on Friday morning when 50 MILF rebels raided the police headquarters of Marawi City, with the aim to bolt out two MILF members who were earlier detained for illegal possession of firearms, Macasero said, adding that during the attack, MILF rebels also shot dead Panapan’s relative.

Panapan was brought to the MILF’s camp in Nusa-Nusa Island in Balindong, Lanao del Sur, following confirmation by MILF members of the AdHoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) and Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH), Macasero said, adding that local government officials were behind the negotiations for Panapan’s release.

Panapan was allegedly held by MILF group led by Abdurahman Macapaar also known as “Commander Bravo”, commander of MILF’s 102nd command based in two Lanao provinces, said Macasero.

The MILF members who were responsible for Panapan’s abduction will be charged with violating the ceasefire agreement forged by the Philippine government and the MILF in 2004, said Macasper, adding that complaints will be lodged through the Philippine government and MILF groups that jointly monitor the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

On September 9, a police team inspected Macapaar’s MILF training camp in the hinterland of Barit and Bulana, Balindong town in Lanao del Sur province following a series of bombings in Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato City, North Cotabato, and Maguindanao that was blamed on a group called Khilafa Islamiya of Mindanao (KIM).

At the time, Macapaar was cleared of suspicion that he was hiding several members of KIM were in MILF camps under his command.

Macapaar vowed then that he would never allow terrorists to trespass MILF camps, adding he himself would arrest terrorists when found in MILF camps under his command.

The abduction occurred while Philippine government and MILF negotiators started holding peace talks in Kuala Lumpur. The two parties have been holding peace talks since 1997.

In 2012, they forged a framework agreement, for enhanced self-governance in a wider area of autonomy for Filipino-Muslims in the south.

Both camps are finalising details of the framework agreement, which will be given to Congress that will create an implementing law for the fulfilment of the forged political settlement. The MILF was born in 1978.
Source: http://gulfnews.com/news/world/philippines/police-chief-released-in-southern-philippines-1.1263926