Nine villagers were immediately killed including five women, three men and an eight-year old boy. The blasts also wrecked houses, recalled a local official.

“There was something unusual about the bombings,” said Jolo Councilor Cocoy Tulawie. He said that the four explosive devices bore “unusual” shrapnel. “We suspect the military is pilot-testing these bombs,” he said. He further believed that the devices were provided by U.S. troops who have been joining the local military in supposedly conducting “assessments” of the conflict area.

Amirah Lidasan, chair of Suara Bangsamoro Party-list, confirmed that her group received reports that U.S. missiles were fired at Indanan on April 14.

Sowing fear

Atty. Ulka P. Ulama, chair of the Concerned Citizens of Sulu (CCS), said his group submitted the findings of their investigation regarding the April 14 bombing to the regional office of the Commission on Human Rights in Zamboanga.

Ulama criticized the military for sowing fear amid a celebration and again using the Abu Sayyaf as escape goats.

The aluminum shell bomb with serial number 253561 measured two meters long and about 24 inches in diameter, he said. He claimed the bomb could only be manufactured either in the U.S. or Russia.

He said the Abu Sayyaf Group only uses dynamites in their attacks. Testimonies gathered by CCS revealed sightings of military aircraft where and when the bombs were dropped.

Yet, there has been no report coming from the government about the incident, lamented Ulama, also the chair of Sulu-Tawi-Tawi Bar Association, Inc.

The U.S. army contingent of 250 soldiers, who arrived for the 2006 Balikatan joint military exercise, was supposed to leave Sulu on March 5 and return to their base in Hawaii and Japan.  But Tulawie said that a number of U.S. soldiers had remained “active” in various areas in Sulu.  These U.S. soldiers claimed they are there to give away medicines, build schools and restore communities.

More combat operations

Tulawie said that the socio-civic missions supposedly being undertaken to help restore Sulu may be used as an excuse for continued combat operations.

The councilor said witnesses had reported sightings of “spy” planes, helicopters and naval ships. Witnesses also reported seeing military equipment being brought in from these helicopters and naval ships,” he said.

Sulu councilor Cocoy Tulawie

Tulawie fears that U.S. troops are gearing for more combat operations in Sulu, where members of Abu Sayyaf were believed to have been hiding after they were over-run in Basilan. In retaliation to the continuing combat operations, a group of five-to-ten men had been operating against the joint military forces, revealed Tulawie. “They call themselves Freedom Squad.  The average age of its members are from 16 to 20…They are very young and aggressive,” he said. The group claims that they are out to give justice to their fellow Muslims. Tulawie said that four Philippine marines and two unidentified men were killed in separate incidents over the weekend and on Wednesday. “It seems that it is the military who are now being hunted,” he said. Authorities were quick to blame the Abu Sayyaf  for these incidents that targeted soldiers from the 104th Brigade in Sulu and the 3rd Marine Brigade based in Patikul town.

Tulawie said that the local government of Sulu has directed the Philippine marines to lead the implementation of stricter security measures in Jolo.  But he protested this saying that the move would only lead to more killings since the marines are in a “volatile situation”.

“It appears that the continued presence of both Philippine and U.S. military forces brings about the formation of squads that operate underground to retaliate against them,” he said.

Tulawie said that the government is blaming the Abu Sayyaf and these squads for sabotaging the ceasefire between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).  But these squads, said Tulawie, have been operating even before the ceasefire was signed.

“While it would be better for the Moro people to just heighten their protests against the government, the formation of these squads are but a consequence of the injustices being committed against the people of Sulu,” said Tulawie.

Wanting peace

“If the government wants peace in Sulu, it must address the social and economic problems that had long been grappling the poor province, Tulawie said.

Military operations can be set aside now that the parties concerned are keen on finishing the ongoing talks between the MILF and the government, and finalizing the 1996 peace pact between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front.

Citing recommendations by the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), which earlier culminated a three-day mission to Mindanao, Ulama said releasing former MNLF chair Nur Misuari might be the “first step” in achieving a lasting peace in Mindanao.

The OIC had condemned the April 14 bombing in Indanan, said Ulama.  He added that the 16-man mission will forward its recommendations to the government to address the human rights situation in Sulu.

But with continued military operations, more “squads” coming from the ranks of those victimized by the war in Sulu would be formed, said Tulawie. With more sightings of spy planes, helicopters and troops roaming the island, peace seems to be nowhere in sight, he said. Bulatlat

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