NEW MILF/AFP ENCOUNTER LEADS TO BEHEADINGS

UNCLAS MANILA 002344 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MTS USPACOM ALSO FOR J5 SECDEF/OSD/ISA/AP (TOOLAN/REDMON) JOINT STAFF/J5 (WILKES/ROBINSON/CLEMMONS) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER MOPS RP SUBJECT: NEW MILF/AFP ENCOUNTER LEADS TO BEHEADINGS ¶1. (U) Officials of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have claimed a July 10 encounter with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) left fourteen Philippine Marines dead, which AFP sources subsequently confirmed. The encounter reportedly began when the AFP entered a camp near the village of Tipo-Tipo on the southern island of Basilan. Ten of the AFP dead had been decapitated, although the MILF disclaimed responsibility for the beheadings. The AFP's Major General Mohammad Dolorfino, the Philippine government's head of the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group, told the press that Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) terrorists were likely responsible for the beheadings, in apparent retaliation for the alleged death during the encounter of the son of ASG leader Isnilon Hapilon. ¶2. (C) Western Mindanao Command sources confirmed that the AFP troops had been acting on a tip that kidnapped Italian priest Father Bossi was in captivity in Tipo-Tipo, and had been returning to their barracks after the information failed to pan out. According to Deputy WestMinCom Commander Brigadier General Juancho Sabban, an estimated 300 MILF troops ambushed the 60-70 man Marine force when one of the Marine trucks bogged down in the mud. The ensuing intense firefight involving close quarter combat lasted from 9:45 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Sabban claimed that the Marines were able to inflict 50 casualties. ¶3. (C) Sabban said the Marines "never considered" that they would come under fire from the MILF. "It's really unbelievable; we thought they were cooperating with us in trying to free Bossi," Sabban stated. Although he considered the MILF ambush "treachery," Sabban upheld the importance of preserving the Mindanao peace process. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: This episode is a tragic, but likely short-lived, interruption of the four-year old cease-fire between the MILF and the AFP, with both sides committed to the peace process and utilization of the AHJAG and other mechanisms, such as the International Monitoring Team. The apparent co-mingling of MILF troops and ASG operatives is a disturbing element, however, but the MILF was quick to distance itself from the terrorist beheading, a common tactic by the ASG. Visit Embassy Manila's Classified website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm KENNEY