Malik alive, to show self, says Misuari spokesman

From InterAksyon (Sep 30): Malik alive, to show self, says Misuari spokesman

A spokesman of Moro National Liberation Front founder Nur Misuari said Monday Habier Malik, who led rebels in the bloody standoff with government troops in Zamboanga City, is alive and will eventually surface.

“Lalabas (siya) sa bandang huli (In the end, he will show himself),” lawyer Emmanuel Fontanilla said in an interview with radio station dzMM.

Although government on Saturday declared an “end” to the standoff in Zamboanga, uncertainty remains about the fate of Malik, one of Misuari’s most trusted lieutenants.

There have been persistent reports he has managed to escape and return to Sulu but the military insists he remains trapped within one of the “constriction areas” where troops have surrounded rebel holdouts.

Over the weekend, Armed Forces public affairs chief Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala claimed soldiers had recovered Malik’s body from the body believed to be that of a slain MNLF fighter.

During the interview, Fontanilla claimed around 100 MNLF fighters managed to leave Zamboanga.

“Nagpapasalamat kami at nakaalis ang aming mga kapatid doon sa (We are thankful our brothers managed to leave) ground zero,” he said, as he disputed government figures on slain and captured rebels.

“Kay dali-daling kumuha ng tao at sabihing MNLF. Ito ay hindi rin natin ma-confirm dahil pamahalaan ang kumikilos, media ng pamahalaan ang lumalabas (It is easy to get people and say they are MNLF. We cannot also confirm this because it is the government moving, the media of government bringing out the news),” Fontanilla said.

He said claims of MNLF casualties can only be confirmed through an investigation by a third party.

But Zagala scoffed at Fontanilla who, he said, “is not on the ground, I was there. Maybe one or two or ten can escape but hundreds cannot go through the monitoring we have.”

“Like they (MNLF) said, they will die there, so it runs contrary to what Atty. Fontanila is saying (that) a hundred escaped,” he added.

However, there have been no accurate figures about the number of MNLF fighters who joined the foray into Zamboanga, with government initially saying there were around 200 of them.

However, the government says it has killed 168 rebels and captured 252 more, with another 24 surrendering, far more than the original estimates.

Since fighting started on September 9, 18 soldiers and five policemen have been killed and 179 soldiers and 15 policemen wounded.

There have also been 12 civilians killed and 72 wounded.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/71792/malik-alive-to-show-self-says-misuari-spokesman