Negotiators now talking with Misuari - AFP

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 12): Negotiators now talking with Misuari - AFP

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala on Thursday said Zamboanga City negotiators now have managed to talk with Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chair Nur Misuari.

He added that this was confirmed to them by Zamboanga City Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar.

"Mayor Beng (Climaco-Salazar's nickname) has now opened her line of communication with Nur Misuari and based on their talks (as per claims of Misuari) Habier Malik (one of the top leaders of the rogue MNLF leaders pocketed in Zamboanga City) acted on his own," Zagala disclosed.

He added that Climaco-Salazar has decided to talk with Misuari in hopes of securing the safe release of the estimated 180 hostages and seek peaceful resolution to the stand-off.

Zagala added that Misuari is still to make any demands yet and that the communication lines between the two are open.

"They are talking for the moment, that's all we can say for the moment," he stressed.

The AFP public affairs office chief said that the military containment operation is still ongoing.

"We will continue our containment operation as this is the way to pave the way for the negotiations," he stressed.

But Zagala said that base on their information, Misuari has given his blessing on the attack on Zamboanga City despite his claims to Climaco-Salazar.

"Based on our information (Misuari) has given his blessing and a free hand to his commanders and according to our intelligence report, he is really the one behind the attack," the AFP public affairs office chief added.

He also declined to comment on whether the attack on the military detachment in Basilan Wednesday night was a spillover of the Zamboanga City stand-off.

"It is possible but we are still waiting for our reports to verify this," Zagala concluded.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=565148