Malik still ‘invincible’ as troops hunt MNLF rebels

From the Daily Tribune (Sep 19): Malik still ‘invincible’ as troops hunt MNLF rebels

Government troops pursued heavily armed members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) faction of Chairman Nur Misuari through the street and homes of Zamboanga City, warning they would be killed or captured unless they surrender.

On the 10th day of the siege, MNLF rebels, however, continued to hold ground in some areas, launching “pockets of resistance” against advancing military troops.
Fire also broke out in two areas in Zamboanga City yesterday amid the fighting.

At a press briefing, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan Jr. said MNLF fighters, led by Ustadz Habier Malik, are now holed up within the boundaries of barangays Sta. Barbara and Sta. Catalina.

“There are now pockets of resistance or fire coming from the MNLF Misuari faction side. This is in just within the boundary of Sta. Barbara and Sta. Catalina,” he added.

Authorities believe the rebels intentionally set ablaze the houses while retreating.

“We believe that there are still about more or less 75 members of the armed group... we have reports that there are still hostages being held by the Misuari faction of MNLF and still they are being used as human shields,” he stressed.

Asked if Malik remains in the combat zone in the boundaries of barangays Sta. Barbara and Sta. Catalina, Tutaan replied “without sacrificing operational matters, I would say yes because that is where the armed group is in right now, still engaging.”

Tutaan maintained that government security forces are still on calibrated response mode but stressed that the sporadic clashes have waned.

“The incidents right now are not as intense as the past three days or over the weekend,” he said.

The seeming silence of the MNLF guns, the military spokesman added, could be attributed to the lowering supply of ammunition.

But Tutaan said the armed men still can initiate violence in the areas.

Military information chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, for his part, said fresh fighting took place Wednesday, and soldiers had orders to “neutralize” the remaining 30-40 rebels, who were roaming through houses in urban areas.

Zagala emphasized the military was intent on not allowing the remaining rebels to escape, with troops blocking strategic routes out to sea.

Nevertheless, he said the military could not conduct a full-out assault against the rebels for fear of endangering civilians ensnared in the conflict.

“We want to finish this in the soonest possible time. But we want to ensure the safety and security of the civilians who are either trapped or being held hostage,” Zagala added.

According to him, 30 more MNLF members were reported killed in the past 24 hours in addition to the 51 body counts reported in the past eight days.

But Malik was not among the 81, Zagala said.

The rebels were believed to be holding as many as 21 hostages, Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II told reporters in Zamboanga, as he outlined operations to flush the insurgents out of the communities.

“We are now at the stage of clearing operations... we are going from house to house, block to block. Houses are built close together, the streets are narrow,” he said.

“We have to ensure that there are no more fighters there and that no booby traps were left behind.”

As of noontime Tuesday, Tutaan said a total of 11 soldiers had been killed in action while 105 others were wounded since the siege started last Sept. 9 when around 300 MNLF fighters infiltrated five coastal barangays in Zamboanga City.

Three soldiers were killed Tuesday night as government troops assaulted KGK Building in Barangay Sta. Barbara where the group of Malik was believed to have been holed up. The building is now under government control.

Tutaan added that 86 MNLF members were killed while 93 others were either arrested or surrendered.

A total of 152 civilian hostages had been rescued.

Those deaths occurred as the military achieved one of its biggest breakthroughs, securing the release of more than 140 civilians after taking back control of some neighborhoods.

About 100,000 people, or roughly 10 percent of Zamboanga’s population, have been displaced due to the fighting, while the city has been brought to a standstill with schools closed and transport services suspended.

“We’re closing in. Of course, we’re still assessing how much percentage remains... as we have said, most of them have holed out in Sta. Barbara and Sta. Catalina,” Tutaan said.

Relatedly, the MNLF branded the abduction and immediate release of Senior Supt. Jose Chiquito Malayo as “well-scripted” as it disowned the 23 MNLF members who were supposedly convinced by the Zamboanga City police chief to surrender.

MNLF Misuari faction spokesman lawyer Emmanuel Fontanilla, who claimed that Malik took Malayo and three of his men as prisoners of war (PoWs) last Tuesday hours after he was reported seized in Barangay Talon-Talon, said the script was very well done that the MNLF was misled.

“We were misled by the script but lately we learned it is a fake. It was too far from Sta. Catalina, about nine kilometers. Good script by Assad Roxas...Stephen Spielberg for his election in 2016,” said Fontanilla, apparently noting the area of concentration of the armed conflict.

Fontanilla was referring to the Interior secretary whom he likened to Syria’s Bashar Assad, who is accused of using chemical weapons in attacking anti-government forces in Syria.

Fontanilla also branded the supposed surrender of 23 MNLF fighters who took Malayo and his men as fake.

The MNLF spokesman accused government forces of bribing civilians and militiamen to pose as MNLF and surrender.

http://tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/19283-malik-still-invincible-as-troops-hunt-mnlf-rebels