Chronology of Events Related to the Tukanalipao, Mamasapano

Incident on 25 January 2015

Report by the GPH-Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities
and the GPH-Ad Hoc Joint Action Group
04 February 2015
I. Background:
In the early morning of 25 January
2015, the Philippine National PoliceSpecial Action Force (PNP-SAF)
conducted law enforcement operations
(LEO) against the group of Zulkipli bin
Hir, alias Marwan/Madz, a terrorist
leader of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI),
and Abdulbasit Usman, a notorious
local bomber, at a riverside situated
along the border of Barangays
Pimbalkan
and
Pedsandawan,
Mamasapano, Maguindanao. Marwan
and Usman are criminally charged for
the series of bombings in Mindanao. A
gun battle erupted between the SAF
and Marwans men, and Marwan was
accordingly killed during the clashes.
As the law enforcement operation
(LEO) went on, an unfortunate
encounter flared up involving another
set of troops of the PNP-SAF and
elements of the 105th Base Command
(BC) of the Bangsamoro Islamic
Armed Forces Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (BIAF-MILF) in
Baranggay Tukanalipao, also of
Mamasapano municipality. This area is
more or less two (2) kilometers away
from Barangays Pimbalkan and
Pedsandawan.
This was the only incidence of a
firefight between the Government and
MILF forces since the 2011 incident in
Al Barka, Basilan.
Elements of the Bangsamoro Islamic
Freedom Fighters (BIFF) from nearby

barangays likewise engaged the PNPSAF.

The clashes resulted in the death of 44
and wounding of 12 officers of the
PNP-SAF. THE MILF reported that 18
MILF members died and 14 were
wounded. The MILF submitted the list
of
killed
and
wounded
BIAF
combatants to the media during the
press conference held by the GPH and
MILF Panels on 31 January 2015 in
Kuala Lumpur (see attachment). An
undetermined
number
of
BIFF
combatants were killed. There are also
preliminary reports of a number of
civilians killed and wounded.
Informed of the ongoing firefight
involving the troops of the PNPSAF
and BIAFMILF in Tukanalipao and
noting that no prior coordination was
made by the PNP-SAF to them, the
Coordinating Committees on the
Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) of both
the Government and the MILF
immediately undertook steps to halt
the fighting and prevent further
escalation of the violence. The CCCH
formed a Joint Ceasefire Crisis Team
together
with
the
International
Monitoring Team (IMT) with the
objective of reinstating the ceasefire,
separating the contending forces,
evacuating
the
casualties
and
extricating the fatalities, and providing
practical assistance to the affected
civilians and communities.
The following narration chronicles the
actions taken on 25 January 2015 by
the GPH and MILF CCCHs, the
1

composite Joint Ceasefire Crisis

Team, and the Ad-Hoc Joint Action
Group (AHJAG). The AHJAG is the
body tasked with coordinating the two
parties in relation to law enforcement
operations in areas with considerable
presence of the MILF while the CCCH
is mandated to coordinate the
implementation of the ceasefire
agreement in order to prevent
hostilities between the parties.
II. Chronology of events:
First notice of the firefight received by
the GPH-AHJAG
At 5:37 AM of January 25, BGen
Manolito Orense, Chairman of the
GPH-AHJAG, received a call from PDir
Getulio P. Napenas, Jr., SAF
Commander, asking him to inform and
coordinate with the MILF (through the
MILF-AHJAG) that the PNP-SAF
would conduct an operation in a few
minutes. BGen Orense told PDir
Napenas that he would try to
coordinate with Atty. Abdul Dataya,
Chairman of the MILF-AHJAG, despite
the very short notice.
Before BGen Orense could establish
contact with Atty. Abdul Dataya, at
5:42 AM, PDir Napenas called again to
say that they were withdrawing and
asked if they could be given
assistance. At 5:47 AM, BGen Orense
called up the 601st Bde Commander
Col
Melquiades
Feliciano
and
instructed him to coordinate with local
MILF commanders in order to halt the
firing, and to provide assistance to the
withdrawing PNP-SAF troops.
At 5:53 AM, BGen Orense sent an
SMS message to PDir Napenas, which
says:

09175120085 sir paki

coordinate lang ke col mel
feliciano, 601bde cmdr re
your
withdrawal
para
maalalayan nila kyo from the
milf.
Contact was established with Atty.
Dataya at 7:31 AM, when he returned
the calls and text messages of BGen
Orense. BGen Orense asked him if he
could take action on the situation. Atty.
Dataya said he would immediately call
up BIAF Headquarters in Camp
Darapanan. Communication between
the two AHJAG chairs continued.
First notice of the firefight to the GPHCCCH from the MILF-CCCH
The ceasefire mechanism of the
Government was first made aware of
the ongoing encounter between
government and MILF troops by Rasid
Ladiasan, Chair of the MILF-CCCH,
via SMS sent to BGen Carlito Galvez,
Chair of the GPH-CCCH, and its Head
of Secretariat, Director Carlos Sol. At
that time, BGen Galvez and Dir. Sol
were in Lanao province accompanying
the members of the Independent
Decommissioning Body (IDB) for a site
visit1 to Camp Bushra, an identified
camp of the MILF.
Ladiasans message, received at 6:38
AM, said:
Salam bro, firefight erupted
between the AFP and the
1

The visit to Camp Bushra was part of the

IDBs activities in preparation for undertaking
its mandate of overseeing the process of
decommissioning of MILF combatants and
weapons, as provided for in the Annex on
Normalization. The IDB is composed of three
foreigners and four Filipinos. Camp Bushra is
also among the six identified MILF camps that
would be transformed into peaceful and
productive communities also under the Annex
on Normalization.

105BC
at
Tukanalipao,
Mamasapano.
The AFP
troops moved in without any
coordination and this is
difficult to control to avoid
encounters
between
our
forces when there is no
coordination. This is clearly
disregarding and violating the
ceasefire.
Now, with that
situation the only option is to
ceasefire otherwise it will
escalate further.
The GPH-CCCH thereupon inquired
with the 1st Mechanized Infantry
Brigade, the 601st Infantry Brigade, G3 of the 6th Infantry Division, and the
Police
Provincial
Office
(PPO)
Maguindanao, to verify the information
received from the MILF-CCCH.
Contacts from the military units
confirmed that a firefight was indeed
ongoing, but they denied involvement
of military troops.
The
PPO-Maguindanao
in
turn
informed the GPH-CCCH that troops
belonging to the PNP-SAF were
involved in the encounter, their mission
being to apprehend Zulkipli Bin Hir,
alias Marwan/Madz, and Basit
Usman.
Five minutes later, or at 6:42 AM, Mr.
Ladiasan sent another text message to
Dir. Sol, saying:
We have to ceasefire bro
before its too late. Ano kaya
bro kung puntahan natin sa
area baka may staff kayo
kasama at IMT bro ma invite
mo sila (We have to
ceasefire, brother, before it is
too late. What if we go to the
area, you and your staff. Also
the IMT, you can invite them.)

Organization of the Joint Ceasefire

Crisis Team
At 7:30 AM, Dir. Sol called up Mr.
William Hovland, Chief Operations
Officer of the International Monitoring
Team (IMT), to invite the IMT to join
the CCCH in forming a Joint
Ceasefire Crisis Team whose mission
will be to negotiate a ceasefire,
separate the two contending forces,
assist in the evacuation of casualties,
assess the situation of internally
displaced persons (IDPs), and help
stabilize the situation.
BGen Galvez and Dir. Sol immediately
left Iligan City. BGen Galvez proceeds
to the Tactical Command Post (TCP)
in Awang, Maguindanao to meet with
MGen
Edmundo
Pangilinan,
th
Commander of 6 ID, and GPHAHJAG Chair BGen Orense. At 7:33
AM, BGen Galvez sent a text message
to GPH Panel Chair Miriam CoronelFerrer to inform her of the developing
situation.
At 9:00 AM, the Joint Ceasefire Crisis
Team composed of representatives
from GPH-CCCH, MILF-CCCH, Joint
Ceasefire Monitoring Post (JCMP)
posted in Kitango, Datu Saudi
Ampatuan, and the IMT, assembled at
the IMT Headquarters in Cotabato
City. They then proceeded to
Barangay Kuloy, Shariff Aguak,
Maguindanao to meet with Ustadz
Zacaria Goma, Base Commander of
the 105th BC, BIAF-MILF, and Ustadz
Wahid Tundok, Base Commander of
the 118th BC, BIAF-MILF. Brgy. Kuloy
is around 60 kilometers away from
Cotabato City. The Joint Ceasefire
Crisis Team drew out a plan on how to
convince the PNP-SAF and the BIAFMILF to declare a ceasefire and end
the hostilities. En route, at 10:34 AM,
BGen Galvez texted his counterpart,
Mr. Ladiasan, the following:

We already gave advise to

the
PNP
to
ceasefire.
th
Request 105 BC to ceasefire
also
Ladiasan contacted the two MILF base
commanders and arranged to meet in
Kuloy in order to work on the
implementation of ceasefire.
Meeting with BIAF Commanders;
Effecting the Ceasefire
The Joint Ceasefire crisis team arrived
in Brgy. Kuloy at around 11:30 AM.
Ustadz Wahid Tundok arrived at
around 12 noon from his place in Sitio
Tatapan, Brgy. Kitango, Datu Saudi
Ampatuan,
Maguindanao
while
minutes later Ustadz Zacaria Goma
arrived from Lapok in Shariff Aguak.
The
meeting
with
the
BIAF
Commanders began past 12 noon at
Ustadz Gomas residence. There, the
group agreed to immediately effect the
cessation of hostilities, and allow the
passage of the PNP-SAF from the
encounter site to safe areas located in
Tuka, Mamasapano. It was agreed
that Commander Wahid will work on
the withdrawal of the troops of the
105th Base Command away from the
encounter site. The goal was to create
a reasonable gap between the two
contending forces, and allow the
evacuation of casualties.

The Joint Ceasefire Crisis Team was

divided into two groups. The first
group, to be led by Ustadz Wahid
Tundok and his men, was to proceed
to the actual encounter site in
Tukanalipao to inform BIAF subcommanders of the results of the
meeting, i.e. the agreement for a
ceasefire, as well as to implement the
repositioning of both forces. The
second group, composed of MILFCCCH Chair Rasid Ladiasan; Ronnie
Arap and Dave Jungco of the GPHCCCH Secretariat; Butch Malang and
Toks Upham of the MILF-CCCH
Secretariat; Suharto Elhad of the
JCMP-Kitango; and Mr. Hovland of the
IMT, all of whom were unarmed, were
assigned to negotiate with officers of
the Philippine Army and the SAF in
Tuka, Mamasapano where a tactical
command post had been established
by the PNP and AFP.
Each group proceeded to their
respective areas to start their mission,
while Ustadz Goma stayed in his
house in Brgy. Kuloy. To ensure safety
and coordination in their movements2,
BGen Galvez informed Rasid Ladiasan
that MGen Pangilinan was already
aware of the movement of the Team to
the area of the 105th BC and the 45th
IB. On the other hand, Mr. Ladiasan
updated Dir. Sol that their group was
moving towards the 45th IB while
Ustadz Wahids group is working on
the pull-out of the 105th BC subcommanders and men. His text
message said:
Papunta na kami sa military
sa 45IB sila Wahid mag pullout tropa ng 105BC, kami
2

Members of the Joint Ceasefire Crisis Team meet at the

residence of Ustadz Zakaria Goma in Brgy. Kuloy.

All activities of the Crisis Team were also

st
relayed to the Bde Commander of the 1
st
Mechanized Inf Bde, 601 Bde and the OIC,
PNP PRO ARMM for their information and
guidance.

naman with IMT sa military

para tumulong maextricate
PNP SAF. Paalis na kami sa
kuloy sa base ni Zacaria
Goma. Paki inform lang wag
ma alarm sa bahay ni Goma
marami tropa security nya
yon.
Meanwhile, BGen Galvez arrived at
the TCP in Camp Awang at around
12:10 PM and met with MGen
Pangilinan and BGen Orense to
assess the situation in Mamasapano.

already enter the encounter area to

assess the situation and determine
what other assistance can be given to
help resolve the problem. The second
group thereafter pulled out from Tuka
and proceeded to the Office of the
Municipal Mayor of Mamasapano
Mayor Benzhar Ampatuan to request
assistance from the Mayor and the
Barangay Chairman of Tukanalipao.

The second group arrived at Tuka, at

the position of the 45th IB at 12:55 PM.
The group relayed to PSup Henry
Mangaldan (Bn Cmdr, 4th Bn, PNPSAF) and PSI Michael John Mangahis
(Bn Comdr, 3rd Bn. PNP-SAF) and
LtCol Romeo Bautista III of the 45th IB
the results of the meeting in Kuloy.
During this time, sporadic gunfire could
be heard from the direction of
Tukanalipao. The Joint Ceasefire
Crisis Team learned from Ustadz
Wahid that his group came underfire
as they moved into the area to assist
in effecting the ceasefire.
About 15 minutes later, however, while
the PNP-SAF was disseminating the
call for a ceasefire by cellular phone,
radio message, and personal contact
with the troops on the ground,
gunshots were again heard coming
from three different directions. The 2nd
group of the Crisis Team quickly took
cover at the roadside near the banana
trees at the side of the irrigation canal.
They stayed there waiting for the go
signal of Ustadz Tundok that they can
already leave Tuka to proceed to the
encounter site in Tukanalipao.
At 1:15 PM, the second group received
a radio call from Ustadz Tundok
advising that the other members of the
Joint Ceasefire Crisis Team can

Members of the Joint Ceasefire Crisis Team take cover

near a banana grove after hearing gunshots in Brgy. Tuka.

While still at the TCP in Awang, at 2:04

PM, BGen Galvez called Chair
Coronel-Ferrer to update her on the
situation and the steps the CCCH were
taking.
Together
with
MGen
Pangilinan, BGen Galvez left Awang
shortly after the call to proceed to the
TCP at the Headquarters of the 1st
Mechanized Infantry Brigade at the
Provincial.
Meanwhile, at around 2:20 PM, BGen
Orense received a message from Atty.
Dataya assuring him that orders to all

MILF commanders not to move had

already been given by the BIAF Chief
of Staff. At 2:30 PM, Atty. Dataya said
that the MILF-CCCH was already in
the encounter site.
Around 3:00 PM, BGen Galvez and
MGen Pangilinan arrived at the TCP in
Shariff Aguak to closely monitor the
situation.
Entry to Tukalanipao
The Joint Ceasefire Crisis Team
attempted to enter the encounter area
in Tukalanipao at 3:30 PM. However,
they observed movement of armed
groups in the area and could not push
through. At this point, members of the
community had reported to the Joint
Ceasefire Crisis Team that there were
32 cadavers in the area. This
information was forwarded to PCSupt
Napenas and PSSupt Armilla, OICRegional Director of the PNP PROARMM, who at that time were at the
TCP in Shariff Aguak.

Members of the Joint Ceasefire Crisis Team and barangay

officials of Tukanalipao prepare to enter the encounter site
and plan the retrieval operation.

At 4:00 PM, gunfire could no longer be

heard. By this time, members of the
BIAF 105th BC had completely pulled
out of the area. This allowed both
groups of the Crisis Team, together
with Tukanalipao barangay officials, to
enter the site. They found cadavers
scattered on the ground and in the

nearby river. The group also noticed a

group of armed men in the immediate
vicinity who were later identified as
belonging
to
the
BIFF under
Commanders Bisaya and Indal. The
Joint Ceasefire Crisis Team then
returned to the municipal hall and
informed the Mayor about the situation
and requested for the equipment
needed to retrieve the cadavers.
By 5:20 PM, the Crisis Team went
back to the engagement site with two
Kuliglig tractors and an ambulance to
start the retrieval operation. It was
decided that the cadavers will be
brought by the Crisis Team to the
highway where PNP-SAF officers were
waiting.
While retrieving the cadavers, the Joint
Ceasefire Crisis Team heard gunshots
from the northeast direction more or
less two (2) kilometers away from the
encounter site. At about the same
time, Dir. Sol received a phone call
from BGen Galvez informing him that
there remains another group of PNPSAF being fired upon by an armed
group nearby. Upon communication,
Ladiasan of the MILF-CCCH assured
BGen Galvez that no troops from the
BIAF remained in the area, and that
the SAF were now engaging the BIFF.
With this development, the Joint
Ceasefire Crisis Team went back to
the tactical command post in Tuka at
5:40 PM. There, LTC Romeo Bautista,
CO of the 45th IB explained to the
MILF-CCCH the situation and the need
to facilitate the rescue of the surviving
PNP-SAF more or less one kilometer
north-east of Tukanalipao. Elements of
the 6th ID Reconnaissance Company
were to assist in extricating the said
PNP-SAF from the area.
Rasid
Ladiasan of the MILF-CCCH agreed
and advised all BIAF forces nearby not
to hamper the movement of the PNP-

SAF.
Twenty-eight3 (28) surviving
PNP-SAF were successfully extricated
by the Army by dawn of the following
day.

The Joint Ceasefire Crisis Team

decided to suspend the retrieval
operations around this time due to
darkness and security concerns. The
retrieval operations were resumed at
5:30 AM the next morning, and were
completed sometime in the afternoon
of the same day.
The Joint Ceasefire Crisis Team was
thereafter
deactivated
and
its
members returned to the CCCH and
IMT offices in Cotabato City at around
6:00 PM of 26 January 2015.

th

LTC Romeo Bautista of the 45 IB informs members of

the Joint Ceasefire Crisis Team that another group of
PNP-SAF remain in the area. They agree to cooperate on
the extrication of these men.

The LGU of Mamasapano at 9:30 PM

informed the Joint Ceasefire Crisis
Team that five (5) cadavers of PNPSAF officers had been turned over to
the PNP-SAF.

Of the 28 men, 11 were wounded. One of the

wounded men died en route to the Integrated
Provincial Health Office.