As truce talks break down, MNLF rebels fight on despite 51 dead comrades

From GMA News (Sep 15): As truce talks break down, MNLF rebels fight on despite 51 dead comrades

The MNLF forces occupying several neighborhoods in Zamboanga City may have lost over half of their fighters, yet have refused to surrender.

51 of the gunmen have been killed while six members of the government's security forces have died in seven days of fighting, according to a spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Four civilians have been killed.

Estimates of the total number of MNLF rebels have ranged from 100 to 400 from the start of the crisis on September 9, when two main groups arrived from Sulu and Basilan to participate in what many of the MNLF members believed to be a "peace caravan."

Several thousand troops backed by tanks have been deployed against perhaps just dozens of rebels scattered throughout five barangays in the city.

59 soldiers and policemen have been wounded, Zagala said.

Despite fires that have razed hundreds of homes in several barangays, and over a hundred hostages held by the MNLF, AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala insists that the armed forces have the momentum and are gaining ground.

Snipers and hostages have been used effectively to slow down the military's assaults, calibrated to kill rebels while sparing their hostages.

Only 19 rebels have been captured or have surrendered, much fewer than the fatalities, an indicator of the brutal nature of the street combat.

Lustre Street in Barangay Santa Catalina near the city center appears to be ground zero of the conflict, the area where the MNLF attackers' leader, Habier Malik, is said to be holding hostages, including family members of Catholic priest Father Michael Ufana who was released last Friday. It is believed that Ufana was freed to deliver demands of the hostage takers.

Several MNLF rebels were captured over the weekend, including an expert sniper, and recorded by GMA News teams at police stations.

According to GMA News reporter Chino Gaston, the sniper claimed that he was given P10,000 to participate in the action. Some captured rebels said they thought they were going to march peacefully to city hall to raise their flag of independence, naively thinking that security forces would just allow them to do so.

“We are looking into a speedy conclusion, but again we don't want to use speed as our basis,” Zagala said. “[The time frame] must be calibrated because there [are] hostages. Hindi tayo nagmamadali; our focus is really for the hostages not to be hurt, yun ang importante."

An attempt by Vice President Jejomar Binay to broker a ceasefire with MNLF founder Nur Misuari quickly fizzled out, after Binay announced a truce on Friday that none of the combatants seemed to take seriously.

On Saturday, Binay went to Zamboanga and spoke with Misuari again. Binay conveyed to President Aquino Misuari's demand for his men to walk away in exchange for the release of the hostages. Aquino rejected it.

AFP spokesman Zagala explained that the Army had no choice but a military response despite Binay's ceasefire negotiations because of the MNLF's heightened assault on Friday afternoon.

He said that the last estimate they have of MNLF-held hostages was 180.

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