Military deploys Marines to Zambo, army in control in Nor Min

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 10): Military deploys Marines to Zambo, army in control in Nor Min

Battle-tested Marines were deployed to Zamboanga on Monday evening as the Moro National Liberation Front continued to lay siege to that capital city in southwestern Mindanao.

Lt. Col. Leo Bongosia, spokesperson of the army’s 4th Infantry Division, said on Tuesday that the 500 Marines belonged to the 2nd Marine Landing Battalion formerly assigned in Misamis Oriental during the midterm elections last May.

Bongosia said that the Marines would augment some 800 government troops now securing Zamboanga City as sporadic fighting in and around the city’s outskirts between government troopers and MNLF combatants continued.

Bongosia, however, did not give figures on deaths but unconfirmed reports had it that, at least, six people were killed since the armed conflict started Monday when government troopers tried to prevent the armed MNLF fighters to march to the City Hall there.

MNLFs loyal to Nur Misuari, founder and chairman of the MNLF, reportedly planned to raise the MNLF flag at the City Hall in Zamboanga City on Monday to reportedly declare “Mindanao Independence.”

The military blocked the MNLF fighters while on their to the City Hall which resulted in a running gun battled in the city’s central district resulting to armed skirmishes that sent the “city of flowers” folding its knees in panic and chaos.

Bongosia said that the army’s 4th ID has declared a red alert in Northern Mindanao in anticipation of a possible escalation of conflict in the region.

“The military in Northern Mindanao has been on its toes since the bombing incident in Cagayan de Oro that marred the otherwise peaceful port capital of more than 800,000 people here last July,” Bongosia added.

He said the military has also received reports of the movements of known MNLF members toward the southwestern Mindanao since the conflict erupted in Zamboanga City last Monday.

“The MNLF in Northern Mindanao were not armed although the reported exodus to the Zamboanga Peninsula could be suspicious,” Bongosia told the PNA.

Bongosia allayed fears that the MNLF would sow terror in Northern Mindanao and assured that the military in the region is on top of the situation.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=564252