FACT CHECK: News of 39 soldiers held by MILF is from 2023, not recent - Rappler

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Claim: Members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) blocked 39 soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and confiscated their firearms in Lanao del Sur on September 9.

Why we fact-checked this: A September 9 Facebook post published by the page “Kakatoh Trending” claims: “Breaking news! Hinarang ng MILF ang 39 na sundalo ng AFP na dumaan sa kanilang kampo sa Lanao del Sur at pinadeposito pa ang kanilang mga baril, ano ito? Bawian na sila?”

(Breaking news! The MILF intercepted 39 AFP soldiers passing through their camp in Lanao del Sur and even forced them to surrender their firearms, what is this? Is this a case of getting even?)

As of writing, the post has garnered over 859 reactions, 281 comments, and 70 shares. The page itself has more than 21,000 followers.

The post received several comments, most of which backed up the claim, with one comment adding, “Nakita ko na sa balita totoo ‘yan (I already saw that in the news, that is true).”

Another post uploaded on September 9 features an excerpt of a news report regarding the incident. As of writing, it has 7,800 reactions, 528 comments, 874 shares, and 314,000 views.

The posts began spreading ahead of the first-ever Bangsomoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections on September 14. 

The facts: The false claim is likely referring to a real incident in February 2023, when 39 soldiers belonging to the 1st Special Forces Battalion were held and later released by the MILF after they strayed close to the Front’s 103 Base Camp in Barangay Delimbayan in Maguing town, Lanao del Sur.

The accounts that posted the false claim have been reposting the GMA News report of the incident without saying that it is a 2023 report. The post by the page “Kakatoh Trending” added a “breaking news” label, falsely implying that the incident happened recently.

According to Rappler’s 2023 report, officials said the incident stemmed from a lack of coordination between the Army’s Special Forces and the MILF — though the MILF claimed the soldiers in custody were only “requested” to surrender their firearms rather than being “disarmed.” The soldiers were later released following negotiations.

Commander Bravo’s “off-limits declaration”: The false claims began spreading after MILF leader Abdullah “Commander Bravo” Macapaar declared MILF communities in Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte as “off-limits” to government forces. His statement came after a large MILF convoy was intercepted on September 2 by soldiers and police in Lanao del Norte due to concerns over travel coordination.

These genuine media reports only mention an off-limits declaration, but do not confirm any actual blocking or disarming of soldiers.

In a September 9 Facebook post debunking Kakatoh Trending’s Facebook post, election monitor Independent Election Monitoring Center (IEMC) – BARMM said that following its initial checks with local military contacts, there was “no indication of a blockade, confrontation, or confiscation of firearms involving AFP and MILF personnel in Lanao del Sur.”

The IEMC – BARMM is a coalition of watchdog groups, including the Institute of Autonomy and Governance, National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections, and Parish Pastoral Council Responsible for Voting, accredited by the Commission on Elections to monitor the BARMM polls.

BARMM parliamentary elections: The upcoming polls represent the Bangsamoro’s third attempt at establishing regional governance, following four postponements from the original 2022 election schedule through March 2026.

The BARMM’s parliamentary elections serve as a milestone in the region’s decades-long journey to peace following the MILF and the Philippine government’s historic peace agreement in 2014. The elections come amid persistence of violence and heightened security concerns, with 108 areas classified as election areas of concern, particularly in Lanao del Sur. (LIVE UPDATES: First BARMM parliamentary elections)

Debunked: In its post debunking the false claim, the IEMC – BARMM also warned against claims involving AFP–MILF security coordination, since unverified reports about such movements or security incidents can heighten tensions.

John Jerome Santos is a research and data volunteer writer at Rappler. He is a fourth year Bachelor of Science in Accountancy student at the Dr. Gloria Lacson Foundation Colleges of Cabanatuan City.

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