Saturday, February 1, 2014

Misuari warns of bigger violence

NUR Misuari

By EDD K. USMAN

Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding Chairman Nur P. Misuari, still hiding from the law, warned yesterday of a much bigger violence in Mindanao if Congress ignores an MNLF plea.

The MNLF plea is for both chambers of Congress to ferret out the truth behind the Zamboanga City siege that started on Sept. 9, 2013, and two other events.

Documents obtained by the Manila Bulletin showed Misuari had sent a request to the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee (Sen. Teofisto Guingona), seeking the joint hearing.

Though it was not signed, Misuari has his name on the request to the Senate as the one requesting.

It was signed by Rev. Atty. Elly Velez Lao Pamatong, Esq., PhD., the MNLF’s international legal counsel and spokesman.

In seeking the bicameral investigation, Misuari asks Congress to determine the causes of the Zamboanga siege, “events that transpired before, during, and after” it.

“In the light of the fact that — if this request is left unheeded — another violent upheaval, far greater than the Zamboanga crisis, could erupt in (Mindanao), the undersigned prays — on bended knees — for your Honor’s most favorable answer to this request from the only OIC-recognized organization of the Bangsamoro people,” said Misuari.

The OIC is the Organization of Islamic Cooperation which granted the MNLF an observer status on May 16, 1977.

He also sought the reasons for the failure of the government to help the family of the late Sultan Jamalul Kiram III “in their attempt to regain their propriety rights over Sabah, over which the Philippines has territorial sovereignty.”

Third, he also asked for a probe on the government’s inaction on Malaysia’s actions against Filipinos who were helpless in North Borneo.

Fourth, Misuari wanted unearthed why the government still signed on Oct. 15, 2012 the Framework Agreement on the Bangsaromo (FAB) in spite of the MNLF’s best fighters already members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as well as what he called Malaysia’s “over-intrusive” role in the FAB signing.

“With all due respect, the recent crisis in Zamboanga is too important to be completely ignored by (the) Blue Ribbon Committee of the Upper House of Congress,” he said.

Misuari is willing to appear before the Senate for the hearing if the Senate will provide him “safe passage to and from his Headquarters in Sulu” and with an OIC official accompanying him, preferably from Indonesia.

If security arrangements should prove impossible, then the legal counsel and officers of the MNLF’s Central Committee are willing to represent the MNLF chieftain and answer every query.

http://www.tempo.com.ph/2014/01/misuari-warns-of-bigger-violence/#.UunAS7SmUtc

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