Philippine Military and MILF Join Forces

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The Philippine military on Monday welcomed the decision of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to assist in the military and police efforts to rescue a 73-year- old wife of a Filipino-Chinese businessman kidnapped last Friday in Cotabato City.

Speaking to reporters in Camp Aguinaldo, the Armed Forces spokesman Jose Mabanta said that the MILF action bodes well with the ongoing efforts to revive the peace negotiations between the government and the secessionist group.

"At this point, we need all hands," Mabanta said. "We need everyone who would like to support the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police in the effort to thwart any lawless elements particularly those who are involved in heinous crimes such as kidnapping."

The victim, Conchita Atienza Tan, was snatched by unidentified suspects at the Tan residence at Rosario Heights 2 in Cotabato City last Friday afternoon. A family driver and a security personnel died when they shot it out with the suspects.

She is the wife of Lucio Tan (not the Taipan business tycoon), owner of the LCT Hardware in Cotabato City. The suspects boarded the victim to a watercraft and fled towards the town of Kabuntalan in Maguindanao.

Prompt military and police operations were launched to pursue the kidnappers and to rescue the victim.

The MILF announced on Sunday that its Central Committee has issued directives to its fighters to join the rescue mission and to exert all efforts to secure Tan.

The MILF, a breakaway group of the then secessionist Moro National Liberation Front, has been pushing for an independent Islamic state in Mindanao.

Manila Bulletin