Philipine Military Vows to Chase Down Muslim Terrorists

This is the only way to deal with terrorists. Reuters

MANILA, Aug 19 (Reuters) - The Philippine military chief vowed on Tuesday to chase down Muslim rebels who attacked two towns in the south, saying the time to give peace a chance was now over.

At least 34 people, most of them civilians, were killed in the south of the Catholic-majority nation on Monday after hundreds of Muslim guerrillas attacked two towns, burning homes, raiding banks and forcing thousands to flee, officials said.

There were no immediate reports of fresh fighting on Tuesday in the Mindanao region, where a decades-long rebellion has prevented any significant development of some of the richest mineral and hyrdrocarbon resources in Southeast Asia.

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"You all know we have bent as far backward (as possible) to give peace a chance," military chief Gen. Alexander Yano said on radio on Tuesday.

"The patience of our soldiers in trying to uphold the primacy of the peace process is very commendable but at some point we really have to act decisively."

The military said 26 civilians and eight soldiers were killed in the fighting in Kolambugan and Kauswagan towns in the province of Lanao del Norte. Dozens of civilians were used as human shields and some of them were shot dead by retreating rebels.

But don't expect Amnesty, or any other Human Rights Group to protest this. We are fighting terrorists with one hand tied behind our back and blindfolded at that too. Terrorists meanwhile get a free pass from all the 'peaceniks' when murder civilians in cold blood.