Conspiracies?

For the record, I think Mon Tulfo is so stereotypically uber-macho its not even funny. But he's a journalist. So presumably he has sources and less given to sloppy/wishful thinking. He writes:

Akbar got 800 firearms from unidentified sources before the senatorial and local elections and distributed these among his men and other groups, my source said.

Some of the firearms were allegedly used in the ambush of the Marines.

Apart from rifles, the MILF and Akbar’s men used rifle-propelled grenades and 81 mm mortars in ambushing the Marines.

According to my source, the MILF has RPGs or rifle-propelled grenades, but they don’t have 81 mm mortars. Only Akbar has.

Question: Who provided Akbar with the 800 M-16 and M-14 rifles and 81 mm mortars?

On the subject of air support, an OV 10 attack helicopter and two MG520 hovered over the scene of the fighting, but left without firing a shot, said my source.

The UH1H helicopter also hovered over the area, but left also without firing a shot. A gunner of one of the “Huey” choppers was hit, forcing the pilot to return to base.

It could not be determined why the reinforcement aircraft left and literally fed the ground troops to the dogs.