Misuari faction rejects allusion to bombings

From the Manila Standard Today (Aug 10): Misuari faction rejects allusion to bombings

The Nur Misuari faction of the Moro National Liberation Front on Friday accused the government of ‘dragging’ the MNLF into the recent spate of bombings in Central Mindanao.

MNLF Peace Panel Head Absalom Cerveza made the statement after President Benigno Aquino III said in Davao on Thursday that three Muslim militant groups had joined forces to derail the peace process that would create a new Bangsamoro entity in the region.

Aquino did not mention the MNLF, but Misuari’s camp felt alluded to since it strongly objects the peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which both parties signed in October last year.

Cerveza said President Aquino “is being fed with wrong information and wrong advice.”

He even challenged Aquino to come up with evidence linking the MNLF into terroristic activities as he emphasized that “we are legitimate MNLF freedom fighters.”

“We are not threatening anybody, but we are doing whatever we have to protect ourselves,” he said.

Cerveza added that “Aquino should stop making reckless insinuations. We are not out to harm people. Mayroon bang di magandang ginawa ang MNLF?”

In other developments:

• France and Hong Kong issued travel advisories to their citizens against traveling  in the Southern part of the country, particularly in Cotabato, Cagayan de Oro and the rest of Central Mindanao.

• Malacanang said it would announce the details of the “reward system” against those behind the spate of bombings at the proper time.

• The National Capital Regional Police Office said it was strengthening its intelligence gathering operations to prevent the violence in Central Mindanao from spilling over to Metro Manila.

Cerveza also denounced the military for attacking an MNLF camp in Al-Barka, Basilan, saying that the attack was “a classic case where it (military) failed to respect (the MNLF’s) religious obligation,” referring to the Eid’l Ftr.

Cerveza claimed the attack resulted in the deaths of seven soldiers and three MNLF regulars.

Earlier, Col. Carlito Galvez, Commander of the army’s 104th Infantry Brigade said that a firefight between army troopers and a group of Abu Sayaff erupted in Al-barka, Basilan that left a soldier and seven militants dead.

Galvez said that “the rebels were preparing for an attack in Tipo-Tipo or Pukan in Basilan or a bombing attack in Isabela town, “that’s why  we launched a preemptive strike against them.”

The ASG camp, Galvez said, yielded more than 20 explosive devices, which were allegedly to be used to bomb several places in Central Mindanao.

Cerveza, however, said that it was not the ASG lair that the government soldiers attacked but an MNLF camp.

He said that the MNLF fighters were about to take their breakfast before doing their morning prayers as  part of the Eid’l Ftr celebrations when they were attacked by army soldiers.

“They were about to take the 6 a.m. when army troopers surrounded their area and the MNLF members were forced to defend themselves, which resulted to the fighting,” Cerveza said.

“They have kept the incident under wraps, why? We’ve given them all our camps location and satellite areas and yet they attacked the MNLF without justifiable cause,” Cerveza said.

Cerveza said that Misuari has told MNLF fighters and members to return to their territories in preparation for the supposed creation of the Bangsamoro Republic which would coincide with the declaration of independence for Mindanao which Cerveza said would take place on the third week of August.

Cerveza said Misuari even advised his fighters not to engage in any criminal activity but to remain ready for any eventuality.

The MNLF official said he has doubts whether the peace accord between the government and the MILF would succeed, since he claims that more MILF fighters who are opposed to the “normalization” annex continue to defect to the MNLF side.

The normalization annex requires MILF fighters to surrender their firearms and integrate with the local police in the region.

“Surrendering one arms means surrendering his life,” Cerveza said.

Meanwhile, Misuari reportedly left the country to still unknown destination but is expected to be back for the formal declaration of  independence for Mindanao.

Meanwhile, France and Hong Kong became the latest countries to issue advisories to their citizens against traveling in violence-prone areas in Mindanao.

In its travel advisory, the French government reminded its nationals in the country to remain alert due to the “upsurge of terrorist attacks in Mindanao.

The French government said that Islamic militants, including the Abu Sayaff, remain active in areas such as Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi along with criminal groups involved in kidnapping and extortion.

It also called its citizens to exercise extreme concern when traveling in the Zamboanga peninsula, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato and Sarangani province.

Meanwhile, the The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region issued a black travel alert against the Philippines for the second time, as it advised its nationals to avoid all travel to the country due to the recent bombings in Mindanao.

Hong Kong issued the advisory following a similar advisory from countries such as United Kingdom, Australia and the United States against traveling in Southern Philippines.

The travel alert also cited the hostage-taking incident at the Quirino Grand Stand on August 23, 2010, where eight  Hong Kong nationals were killed.

In Manila, Malacanang assured the public that intelligence agencies would be able to capture the real perpetrators of the spate of attacks in Mindanao, and not ‘fall guys.’
“We’re certain (that investigators will be able to capture the real suspects),” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said.

The Palace, meanwhile, has yet to provide any details on the reward system announced by President Aquino for information leading to the arrest of the suspects behind the bombings.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/08/10/misuari-faction-rejects-allusion-to-bombings/