Members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front who maintain communities in the borders of Maguindanao and North Cotabato have offered to help in the capture of Moks Masgal alias “Commander Mabrook” and his heavily armed followers, police said.
Sr. Insp. Relan Mamon, Midsayap town police chief, said leaders of Moro fronts in Barangay Nabalawag and nearby communities said they will provide intelligence information on the whereabouts of Commander Mabrook, a lawless armed leader allied with outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.
Mamon did not name the MILF and MNLF officials who offered to help.
He said Mabrook, a former MILF sub-leader operating in the marshland of Maguindanao, was largely involved in the distribution of illegal drugs in several towns in North Cotabato and Maguindanao.
Mabrook was listed as the most wanted drug personality in adjoining provinces.
“Illegal drugs is haram (forbidden) in Islam, so we are against it because it destroys human brains and addicts tend to do crimes more often,” an MNLF leader, who introduced himself as “Commander Talgo,” said in Filipino.
Mamon told DXMS-AM Radyo Bida that Mabrook has about 50 armed followers equipped with rocket propelled grenades, assault rifles and explosives and survived operation by extortion, kidnapping, robbery in band and sale of prohibited drugs.
“Our intelligence information show he is now being coddled by the BIFF in Liguasan marshland,” an Army intelligence officer said.
A big operation was carried out by government forces composed of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the police and the military on Sunday morning against Mabrook but armed skirmishes erupted after his followers sensed the coming government forces.
The operation left three government forces killed, a civilian guide and four bandits. Nine followers of Mabrook, including his brother, were injured in the ensuing firefight. A villager was also hit by stray bullets and died.
Eight soldiers, all belonging to 6th Infantry Division Recon Company, were slightly injured.
Under the 1997 ceasefire agreement between the government and the MILF, the rebels are bound to help the government in the arrest or neutralization of lawless elements in their communities.
The MNLF, on the other hand, signed a peace deal with Manila in 1996.