By Mario J. Mallari
The Daily Tribune
The Daily Tribune
It makes Misuari walk away to end Zambo crisis
A deal has been made between a top Malacañang official and Nur Misuari, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chieftain, to end the crisis in Zamboanga City and make President Aquino look as if it was his presence in Zamboanga that had caused the end of the crisis, a reliable Tribune source in the military said yesterday.
The deal comprised of having Misuari walk away, leaving only a few MNLF fighters who will probably walk away too, after releasing the last batch of the hostages.
Don’t be surprised if the ongoing crisis in Zamboanga City would end without top commanders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) faction of Nur Misuari, particularly Ustadz Habier Malik, being captured for the bloody siege of the city since Sept. 9.
The Tribune source said that a deal was already sealed between the top government official and Misuari to end the crisis and just allow the MNLF fighters, especially the leaders, to walk away from Zamboanga City.
“I received information that a high-ranking government official and Nur had talked and agreed for the MNLF forces just to disappear from their positions and vanish into the night,” the source said.
The source refused to identify the high-ranking government official. Neither did the source want to be identified.
The Zamboanga City siege has entered its 12th day yesterday with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) not being able to ascertain the exact whereabouts of Malik, but expressed belief that his group is holding the more or less 20 remaining hostages.
Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, commander of the AFP’s 7th Civil Relations Group, said that MNLF forces being encountered by government forces in the vicinities of barangays Sta. Barbara ad Sta. Catalina seemed to be leaderless.
“They are demoralized. They are now splintered into small groups and running out of ammunition,” said Cabunoc.
“As indicated by the series of surrenders and sporadic clashes with splintered groups of Misuari faction, they seem to be leaderless,” added Cabunoc.
Cabunoc, however, expressed belief that Malik remains holed up in the area as indicated by the more or less 20 remaining hostages still unaccounted for.
“There is no sighting of Malik but our security forces are trying to locate his group believed to be holding the remaining hostages. It’s possible that he is still there,” said Cabunoc.
Yesterday, the AFP reported three brief clashes in Barangay Sta. Barbara, resulting in the killing of four MNLF fighters while two soldiers were wounded.
So far, 96 MNLF fighters had been killed while 117 others had been captured or surrendered since the crisis started Sept. 9. The death toll figures are being supplied by the military. The MNLF has not released its death toll figures.
Ten soldiers, including a lieutenant, and three policemen and eight civilians were also killed. A total of 117 soldiers, 13 policemen and 48 civilians were also wounded.
About 300 MNLF forces, led by Malik, stormed several barangays in Zamboanga City last Sept. 9, taking more or less 200 civilians as hostages.
The government has not set a timetable to end the Zamboanga City standoff but assured the public that security forces will continue to push forward until all the hostages are freed, the Palace said on Friday.
“On the side of the government, we will continue to push forward what we have been doing in the past days, which is to make sure that none of the citizens are harmed or put in harm’s way,” Deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said in a press briefing in Malacanang on Friday.
The military and the police will continue to constrict the movements of the rebels and the President has asked for an inquiry to determine why the MNLF fighters still have the resources to wage battle after more than a week of fighting.
“The President has also asked to check, to look into reports… of the continuing supply or why the supply of the MNLF does not seem to have an end. He has asked some officials to look into that as well,” Valte said.
The military and the police have also started clearing operations and have requested the assistance of barangay officials to determine the identity of people staying in evacuation centers to make sure that no rebels aree among those present in temporary shelters.
The military and the police have also started clearing operations and have requested the assistance of barangay officials to determine the identity of people staying in evacuation centers to make sure that no rebels aree among those present in temporary shelters.
Asked if the President’s presence in Zamboanga was a sign for the immediate conclusion of the standoff, Valte said his presence was a manifestation of the President’s resolve to be with the residents until the crisis is over.
“The President’s presence there is testament really to his statement to the people of Zamboanga City that government will not leave them. “We are here to extend all that the government can do to help them,” she said.
“The President’s presence there is testament really to his statement to the people of Zamboanga City that government will not leave them. “We are here to extend all that the government can do to help them,” she said.
Meanwhile, Government prosecutors are now in Zamboanga City to help in the case build-up against a faction of the MNLF in connection with the ongoing crisis there.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Friday said it is the duty of the prosecutors to determine thoroughly whether the pieces of evidence are sufficient enough for the filing of the appropriate charges.
De Lima added the local office of the National Bureau of Investigation which has jurisdiction over the area is also helping in the gathering of evidence.
As of Friday, De Lima said, the preparation of pieces of evidence is ongoing for the filing of the appropriate case against the MNLF faction led by its former chairman and erstwhile Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor, Nurallaji “Nur” Misuari.
The members of the panel of prosecutors are Assistant State Prosecutors Niven Canlapan and Aristotle Reyes; and Prosecution Attorney Cesar Angelo Chavez III; as well as Assistant Regional Prosecutor Ivy Damayo Elvinas of the Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Prosecutor’s Office and Assistant City Prosecutor Edwinlino Custodio of the Zamboanga City Prosecutor’s Office.
Vice President Jejomar Binay, for his part, has ordered the government’s key shelter agencies (KSAs) to prepare assistance packages for residents displaced by the fighting in Zamboanga City.
The Vice President said the National Housing Authority (NHA) will offer a housing program to assist those whose homes were totally damaged by the ongoing clash between government forces and the MNLF.
“The NHA will also provide P5,000 worth of building materials to Zamboanga City residents whose houses were partially damaged by the conflict,” the housing czar added.
The NHA previously offered the same home material assistance to homeowners affected by Typhoon Labuyo.
Binay added that the NHA will coordinate with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to assess which residents will be eligible for the housing assistance package.
Binay added that the NHA will coordinate with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to assess which residents will be eligible for the housing assistance package.
Authorities have said that some of the destroyed homes may have been caused by rebels who deliberately set the houses on fire to mask their escape.
The Vice President said NHA will also be coordinating with the Home Development Mututal Fund (HDMF or Pag-IBIG Fund) to assess how they will be able to complement the NHA’s programs and contribute to the housing funds.
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