Monday, September 16, 2013

DILG: MNLF members mixing up with civilians to evade govt forces

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 16): DILG: MNLF members mixing up with civilians to evade govt forces

Apparently desperate in avoiding government forces, members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) faction of Nur Misuari are now trying to mix up with civilians in Zamboanga City to evade arrest.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II, in a broadcast interview over ABS-CBN News Channel, said that government authorities have arrested at least one MNLF member crouching with civilians, apparently to evade arrest.

”Some of them were wearing civilian clothes. In fact, there was one captured where several civilians were walking or crouching towards security forces, and one of them was holding a rosary...and just to check, because the security forces are trained to check all of these surrenderees. They were asked to say Our Father and he did not,” said Roxas.

”...but quickly after they confessed that they were MNLF and that they have shed their uniforms and so they were captured,” added Roxas.

As of Monday afternoon, Roxas said that a total of 70 MNLF members have either been captured or arrested since the Zamboanga City siege erupted Sept. 9.

So far, Roxas said that government security forces have entered areas previously held by MNLF forces in Zamboanga City. However, he did not identify the areas.

”The Armed Forces and the police have entered the area previously controlled by MNLF. This is after three days of containment and constriction and they are now there engaging the MNLF fighters,” said Roxas.

Roxas said that government forces could not ascertain the exact number of hostages still being held by the MNLF forces.

”Right now, it is difficult to say. There may be hostages that have been able to escape since last night and yesterday and in fact they have been all processed by both DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) as well as the security forces...it’s really hard to say how many are still left behind,” said Roxas.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=566313

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