COTABATO CITY/Nov. 25 – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) denied the report that it is coddling the 76 suspects in the Maguindanao Massacre who are still at large.

A report of a Manila-based media outfit on Tuesday quoted lawyer Nena Santos, private counsel of the victims of the Maguindanao Massacre, to have said, “According to the reports we got, they (the suspects who are still at large) are paying money in exchange for protection from the MILF so that they won’t get arrested.” 

“We never coddle criminals. It is a major violation of the ceasefire agreement between the MILF and the Government of the Philippine (GPH) and the provisions of the ‘GPH-MILF Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) Communique,’” said Von Al-Haq, the spokesperson of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF).

Al-Haq said the ‘Implementing Guidelines on the Joint Communique of 6 May 2002’ provides that ‘the MILF . . . shall provide information, as available, on other suspected criminal elements in their areas/communities that come to their attention, and  the AHJAG shall coordinate with the AFP/PNP (Armed Forces of the Philippines/Philippine National Police) and MILF/BIAF to effect the apprehension and arrest of the suspected criminal elements.’

The ‘Implementing Guidelines on the Joint Communique of 6 May 2002’ was signed by then GPH Panel Chairman Marvic M.V.F. Leonen and MILF Panel Chairman Mohagher Iqbal.