August 6, 2012 News: A senior member of the MILF Central Committee, speaking on condition of anonymity, told political and military leaders of the Front in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi late last week to consolidate their political and military organs in order to be counted as a force to reckon with.

He said the government and one prominent leader in Sulu refused to admit that there are substantial numbers of MILF members in the island province, saying that as far he is concerned there is no MILF in my province.

“Real recognition cannot be granted; it has to be worked out internally,” the MILF official bluntly told his comrades in the two island provinces.

“I know you are many and well-organized,” he admitted, “but those who refused to admit your presence are performing better in the media.

“Media matters,” he confessed.

He said they deliberately down-sized the MILF as a last-ditch efforts to cling to power or save their ego in the face of the emerging powers of the MILF in these provinces.

“Simply the ascendancy and undisputed position of the MILF is only a matter of time,” he predicted.
At present, the MILF has organized both the political and military organs in the two provinces, and in addition to this, one of the six front commanders of the BIAF-MILF hails from this region. Of the 70 or so members of the MILF Central Committee, seven are from these provinces, while a few others are prospective candidates to be members of the highest organ of the MILF.

Meanwhile, Hassan Hatab, an MILF political officer, told Luwaran that a group of MNLF leaders and their forces have contacted him for a dialogue, which he responded positively.

“Perhaps, the meeting would take place even during Ramadan or the latest after this fasting ends in August,” he confided.

He said the MILF in Sulu is not asking the MNLF to join the MILF, but we told them we can cooperate with each other without breaking our organizational affiliations.

“The higher and common interests of our people are paramount,” he stressed, hoping that the MNLF would do the same approach.