AFP chief of staff Gen Emmanuel Bautista (left), Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II (center) and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin (right) talk to soldiers during a visit to Martha Street, scene of some of the heaviest fighting in Zamboanga, on Saturday, the day the two secretaries declared the crisis in the port city 'over.' (AFP)
Three days after the government declared the crisis “over” in Zamboanga City, a soldier and a Moro National Liberation Front fighter were killed as operations continued to clear rebel holdouts in what the military has called “constriction areas.”
Although Camp Aguinaldo has yet to issue a confirmation, reports said Corporal Hakim Jaafar of the Army’s 44th Infantry Battalion was leading a team clearing houses in Barangay Sta. Barbara when he was shot at close range by a rebel hiding in one of the houses Monday afternoon.
An MNLF fighter was also killed.
The soldiers also seized an M4 and M14 rifle from the rebels.
Asked for comment, Major Angelo Guzman, Armed Forces deputy public affairs chief, said: “Wala (Nothing) …The last casualties were six Marines last September 28.”
Jaafar would be the 18th soldier slain since hostilities were sparked by the MNLF’s foray into Zamboanga on September 9. He was reportedly scheduled to visit his family later this week.
Soon after Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II declared the Zamboanga crisis over, sporadic fighting resumed and fresh fires broke out in already devastated communities as the military warned that the although worst of the violence, clearing operations remained dangerous and were likely to continue for two weeks more.
Thus far, the government cannot say what has happened to Habier Malik, the trusted lieutenant of MNLF founder Nur Misuari who led the foray into Zamboanga.
Gazmin said a dead rebel on whose body troops found an identification card of Malik was not the MNLF commander.
There have also been reports that Malik had escaped and returned to Sulu and on Monday, a spokesman for Misuari, lawyer Emmanuel Fontanilla, said the rebel commander would eventually surface.
Interesting, although Malik’s face has long been shown in media, Gazmin said, “hindi pa natin matiyak kung kasama si Malik sa namatay o kasama (siya) dun sa mga na-capture or nakawala (We still aren’t sure if Malik is among the dead or among the captured or among those who escaped) …”
But, he added, “Ngayon, kung nakawala si Malik I’m sure hindi na siya uulit (Now, if Malik escaped, I’m sure he won’t do it again). It will take a long, long time before he can launch another offensive like that. Nakita nila ‘yung pwersa ng gobyerno kung paano ipagtanggol ang ating mga kababayan (They have seen the government forces, how we defend our people).”
More than 200 persons -- including at least 12 civilians -- have died and roughly the same number have been wounded in the fighting.
Another 252 rebels have been captured and 24 others surrendered, while 194 civilians held hostage by the MNLF either escaped or were rescued, the government said.
More than 100,000 persons displaced by the fighting remain in 34 evacuation centers.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/71841/day-23--soldier-rebel-slain-in-zamboanga-clearing-operation
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