Are they the MNLF or not? Lawyer says they are 'advance party' for Misuari

From InterAksyon (Sep 9): Are they the MNLF or not? Lawyer says they are 'advance party' for Misuari

The armed men who marched into Zamboanga City were an “advance party” for Moro leader Nur Misuari, who is scheduled to visit the city to hold a “peaceful campaign” for his call for “independence,” said lawyer Emmanuel Fontanilla, spokesman for Nur Misuari’s Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

Interviewed over dzMM radio, Fontanilla said fewer than 100 men arrived at around 2 a.m. Monday in the coastal Barangay Sta. Catalina. Initially, authorities said they were able to monitor some 40 armed men.

According to Fontanilla, Misuari plans to go around Mindanao to “consult the people about a declaration of independence.”

“MNLF troops were there as an advance party escort of Nur Misuari. Nagkaroon ng konting (There was a minor) misunderstanding between the soldiers at MNLF,” he said.

“We’ll work on our struggle for independence through peaceful means. We’re on a defensive position,” he added.

But Zamboanga City Mayor Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said Misuari and his followers “did not secure a permit for that.”

“We’re not part of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and we don’t want to be part of ARMM. It looks like they wanted to stage their protest here in Zamboanga. They wanted to hoist their flag and declare independence from government,” she said.

‘Only one government’

Salazar said she asked the police and military to “take care of the crisis.”

“Their (MNLF) area of concentration is Barangay Sta. Catalina. We’re contacting the crisis committee. MNLF persons carrying guns and in uniform have to be apprehended. We only recognize [only] one government,” she said.

Salazar dismissed Fotanilla’s claim that Misuari’s followers were there in the city to conduct peaceful action.

“They say they are here to peacefully protest. But they are using arms,” she said.

The mayor also called on the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) to spare Zamboanga City as venue for dialogues with Moro rebels.

“The OPAPP should be on top of the situation. We do not want any dialogues held in the city of Zamboanga,” she said.

‘Under MNLF control’

Fontanilla said MNLF stands toe to toe with the government. “We are dealing with government on equal footing. We will not listen to any OPAPP representative,” he said, referring to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

Despite his pronouncements of peace, Fontanilla said seven barangays in the city are already under the control of MNLF forces.

Government security forces said the firefight started from the armed men.

They said soldiers and policemen rushed to Barangays Sta. Catalina, Rio Hondo, Sta. Barbara, and Mariki, after reports reached them that armed men were spotted in these places.

The armed men refused to surrender their guns and shot at the government troops, triggering the firefight, government security officials said.

Government security forces said the firefight started from the armed men.

They said soldiers and policemen rushed to Barangays Sta. Catalina, Rio Hondo, Sta. Barbara, and Mariki, after reports reached them that armed men were spotted in these places.

The armed men refused to surrender their guns and shot at the government troops, triggering the firefight, military officials said.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/70319/are-they-the-mnlf-or-not-lawyer-says-they-are-advance-party-for-misuari