Pres. Aquino: Government may offer reward for capture of Misuari

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 23): Pres. Aquino: Government may offer reward for capture of Misuari

President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday said that government may offer a reward for the immediate capture of fugitive founding Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman Nur Misuari who is still in the country, relocating from one place to another to elude arrest.

"He (Misuari) is still in the country, in Sulu, transferring from island to island," President Aquino said during the annual Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) forum held at the Manila Hotel.

He said government law enforcement agencies are still hunting Misuari and 60 of his followers who have been charged with rebellion by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the Zamboanga City standoff.

Misuari is accused of sending MNLF fighters to Zamboanga City last Sept. 9 likely in an effort to stop the proposed peace deal between the government and a rival Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The President said that the government has yet to set a bounty for the immediate arrest of Misuari because of his busy schedule in the past.

"Since we also have a warrant of arrest, we may issue a reward leading to the capture of Misuari,"he said.

During the 23-day Zamboanga City standoff between government security forces and MNLF fighters, more than a hundred were killed including 12 civilians and scores of others injured.

More than 9,000 houses and buildings, amounting to more than P200 million, were destroyed during the numerous skirmishes.

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