MILF did not provoke military air strikes -- CHR

MANILA, Philippines -- The Commission on Human Rights’ initial investigation into the deaths of six civilians in an aerial attack by Philippine Air Force planes in Datu Piang, Maguindanao, last August 15 showed the attack was not provoked by members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the commission’s head said Saturday.

This contradicted the military’s claim that the MILF fired at their plane, an SF-260, leading the plane’s pilot to fire back, killing the civilians. Earlier reports said helicopter gun ships were also involved in the attack.

In a talk with reporters during the change of command ceremonies in Camp Crame, CHR Chairwoman Leila De Lima said there was no exchange of gunfire between the military aircraft and the MILF.

“Witnesses have told us that they heard two loud explosions which were not preceded by any gunfire. So the fire (from the military plane) was not in retaliation for anything,” she explained.

She added that the CHR’s initial investigation revealed that there was “no exchange of gunfire” that led to the deaths of the civilians.

But De Lima stressed that these were just the results of an initial investigation which would need a “further probe.”

She also said the CHR’s independent probe confirmed the deaths of the six civilians and that they died due to bullet wounds. De Lima explained that they have yet to determine if the two loud explosions were caused by a rocket attack or high-caliber fire.

The six civilians were killed when military aircraft attacked around 10 bancas (boats) transporting civilians across a marsh in Barangay (village) Tee, Datu Piang. The military claimed the boat riders were Moro rebels and their sympathizers.

The military had said there was no way to know how the six died because the families of the dead followed Muslim tradition and buried the bodies within 24 hours of death. It also said the MILF was trying to escape on the bancas with some civilians, probably their relatives, when the plane on reconnaissance spotted them. The MILF, the military said, then fired at the plane.

Early this week, Armed Forces chief Gen. Alexander Yano said no sanctions would be slapped on the military pilot flying the plane since the plane was under hostile fire and had to fire back.

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