SECURITY FORCES are in heightened alert after army soldiers intercepted a huge number of armed followers of former Libyan firebrand Nur Misuari in southern Philippines.
Some 250 MNLF members led by Ustadz Jamaluddin Abdullah had travelled from the town of Pandag to the neighboring Buluan town in Maguindanao province on September 14 where army soldiers stopped them and told the group to surrender their weapons.
Abdullah’s group was on their way to the Buluan gymnasium to attend the so-called “Federal Victory Achievement of the entire MINSUPALA” which refers to the whole of Mindanao region and the provinces of Sulu and Palawan. The rally was reportedly coordinated with the municipal government of Buluan. Soldiers intercepted Abdullah’s group after villagers were alarmed by the huge presence of armed soldiers of Misuari, chairman of the MNLF.
The 6th Infantry Division said it confiscated 37 automatic weapons and three .45-caliber pistols from the MNLF members.
Major Homer Estolas, chief of the Public Affairs Office, said Abdullah’s group surrendered 21 M16 automatic rifles, three M14 rifles, one Ultimax light machine gun, two M4A1 Carbine rifles, two Garand rifles, one Browning automatic rifle, one M203 automatic rifle with grenade launcher, one M79 rifle grenade launcher, one Springfield rifle and , and one Carbine.
“Among the group were 37 personalities who are in military uniform with firearms. The group were reminded by the troops of 40th Infantry Battalion under Joint Task Force Central that wearing of military uniforms under arms is in violation of the peace agreement signed between the MNLF and GPH. As a result, the MNLF members voluntarily surrendered their firearms to the troops as a gesture of respect to the peace agreement between the government and MNLF,” Estolas said.
Police and military freed Abdullah’s group and it was unknown why authorities did not file criminal charges against those who were caught carrying automatic weapons.
Major General Diosdado Carreon, the division commander, said MNLF members are prohibited to carry weapons. “MNLF members can converge for dialogues and other peaceful activities as long as they are not in uniform and under arms as this is prohibited in the security agreements indicated in the September 2, 1996 Government of the Philippines-MNLF final peace agreement,” he said.
There was no immediate statement from Misuari. And Estolas and Carreon did not say why no charges were filed against Abdulla’s group for carrying illegal weapons, especially at a time while the whole of the southern Philippines are under martial law.
In September 2013, a similar rally in Zamboanga City turned into a deadly battle between Misuari’s soldiers and supporters and security forces after authorities intercepted them and foiled their plan to raise the MNLF flag at City Hall.
Zamboanga City leaders and residents are still demanding justice for the MNLF siege that left over 200,000 people without homes following weeks of street battles.
It was the second time that MNLF forces raided Zamboanga. In November 2001, Misuari’s loyal forces also attacked the city and left dozens of civilians dead and wounded. Heavily-armed MNLF gunmen also took hostage over 100 civilians, including women and children, and used them as shield and pawn so they can negotiate with the government and eventually allowed to escape to Basilan and Sulu provinces.
In 2016, Mayor Beng Climaco banned all MNLF rallies in Zamboanga City following attempts by Misuari’s group to hold another peace caravan despite the charges against Misuari. “The destruction wrought by the 2013 siege continues to linger, as internally displaced persons – both Muslims, Christians and Lumads, most of whom are those who eluded the conflicts in Sulu and Basilan – have suffered the brunt of the MNLF attack in Zamboanga,” Climaco said. (Mindanao Examiner. With additional reporting from The Zamboanga Post.)
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