BY VICTOR REYES

GOVERNMENT forces have "liberated" five more barangays in North Cotabato, which were forcibly taken over by Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels last month, the military said yesterday.

The MILF had occupied 15 barangays, and two of them were cleared Monday.

Officials said some 160,000 residents have been displaced by the occupation of the MILF’s 105th Command and the offensives launched by government troops starting Sunday.

"There was fighting recorded during the liberation (of the barangays). They (MILF rebels) put up resistance, they did not just vacate," said Maj. Armand Rico, spokesman of the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command.

The seven communities cleared were Upper Labas, Lagumbingan and Baliki, both in Midsayap; Sitio Tubak in Dunguan in Aleosan; Cabpangi in Pigkawayan; Gayonga in North Kabuntalan; and Gumaga in Libunga.

Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna, AFP vice chief and concurrent chief of Task Force Mindanao, said the main body of the MILF’s 105th Command under Umbra Kato was withdrawing to Maguindanao, its original base.

He said government troops have penetrated Barangay Dunguan in Aleosan town, which Kato used as base in North Cotabato.

Luna said at least 100 rebels were seen withdrawing to the nearby town of Datu Piang, Maguindanao by members of the Joint Monitoring Assistance Team, a body composed of GRP and MILF cease-fire monitors.

Kato’s group in North Cotabato was estimated to have about 500 men.

Asked where the rebels were going, Luna said in jest: "Going home and plant camote. They are escaping in small groups. They are crossing the river going to Maguindanao side... They cannot withstand the pressure, they cannot withstand the beating, they may be black and blue already. That’s why they are withdrawing, they are escaping," he said.

The military has deployed some 2,000 Army, Navy and Air Force soldiers for the offensive. They are using military aircraft, including MG-150 attack helicopters.

As for Kato’s whereabouts, Luna said: "His command and control is in Dunguan. We have penetrated Dunguan so he must have moved somewhere. He may be among those who abandoned ship and left his men."

Luna said they received information that some 100 other rebels "escaped" Monday night "under the cover of darkness, they were carrying many wounded and dead."

Luna could say how many rebels are still in North Cotabato. But he said that the 105th Base Command has about 1,500 men and if Kato brought his entire command to North Cotabato from Maguindanao, then many are still in North Cotabato.

OFFENSIVES INTENSIFIED

Armed Forces chief Gen. Alexander Yano said military operations will continue until the secessionists leave "peacefully."

The MILF leadership had agreed to withdraw from the province, hours before the 24-hour ultimatum lapsed Friday at 10 a.m.

However, the rebels’ repositioning to Maguindanao, where they came from, was stalled by intermittent fighting Friday afternoon.

Yano said "intensified operations" would not compromise civilians. On the directive of President Arroyo, Yano said the government troops are helping in the provision of assistance to affected civilian families.

SPILLOVER

Yano also said the military is closely monitoring developments for possible spillover of the fighting.

On Monday, MILF rebels launched a number of attacks in Basilan, including the occupation of the Tipo-tipo town hall.

Yano stressed the military is going after Kato’s group and not the entire MILF.

"It’s not a widespread and simultaneous operation against all other base commands of the MILF…Our operations have been focused only on that particular renegade group and in specific areas," he said.

BASILAN ATTACKS

Col. Rustico Guerrero, commander of the 1st Marine Brigade, said government forces are bracing for more attacks in Basilan.

At around 8 a.m. Monday, about 300 MILF rebels occupied the town hall of Tipo-Tipo, schools, and civilian houses. The rebels were driven away by Marines that night.

A soldier and two civilians died in the fighting.

Lt. Col. Leonard Vincent Teodoro, commander of the 7th Marine Battalion Landing Team, said civilian informants told them at least 15 rebels died in the clashes.

He said the rebels also committed atrocities in Sumisip town. He did not give details.

The attacks were perpetrated during the elections of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, of which Basilan is part.

Guerrero could not say if the attacks in Basilan were related to the clearing operations in North Cotabato or the ARMM elections, which the MILF had wanted postponed.

PIKIT KILLINGS

In Pikit town, MILF rebels killed a couple and abducted their son.

The rebels swooped down on Takepan village on Monday and executed Lucio Fano, 68, and his wife Sidra, 62.

Rico said the rebels also took the couple’s son who remains missing.

"They burned four houses. They carted away civilian personal belongings and two cows. Because of the attack, more or less 500 families evacuated to safe locations," said Rico.

MILF vice chairman Ghadzali Jaafar said killing hostages is not a practice of their men.

FIGHTING SUBSIDES

PNP chief Avelino Razon said the peace process is the venue to deal with "recalcitrant" commanders who do not follow the MILF central committee.

Eid Kabalu, MILF spokesman, on Monday implied that the MILF will consider sending reinforcements to North Cotabato, as he said Kato’s group is not a "lost command."

Kabalu also said they expect the fighting to end by today.

He said fighting had subsided by Monday night after a two-day barrage of bombs and mortars.

Razon said the PNP has dispatched task forces on negotiations, evacuees and law enforcement and has sought the help of the CCCH, local government units, the DWSD, non-governmental organizations, the International Monitoring Team, and other stakeholders in the peace process.

CASUALTIES

The military’s Eastern Mindanao Command said at least 31 MILF rebels and one soldier have died in the offensive operations.

Rico said the enemy casualty figure was based on bodies recovered by government troops and information provided by civilians. He could not exactly say how many enemy bodies had been retrieved.

Rico said eight of the MILF fatalities belonged to Kato’s group.

"One of the sub-commanders of Umbra Kato was reported among those killed," said Rico.

He said the group of Wahid Tundok, the operations officer of Kato, had 11 fatalities and five wounded while the group of Commander Bruce Lee had six killed. The group of Commanders Basco and Macmod had two and four killed, he said.

The MILF, in its website, said there were 57 casualties on the side of the government side. It said the MILF has four deaths. – With Wendell Vigilia and Raymond Africa