MNLF corroborates footage of Zambo civilian shooting

From the Daily Tribune (Nov 4): MNLF corroborates footage of Zambo civilian shooting

The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) faction of Nur Misuari has corroborated the veracity of the video footage, now available on social networking sites, showing the alleged shooting by government troops of civilian hostages at the height of the Zamboanga City conflict in September.

Lawyer Emmanuel Fontanilla, a spokesman for the MNLF Misuari faction, yesterday said the military indeed committed abuses during the 20-day armed confrontation in Zamboanga City.

According to him, the MNLF also got hold of a copy of the video which was carried by cable news outfit Al Jazeera recently and raised issues against the conduct of military operations against the MNLF supporters of Misuari.

Except that the subject persons in the video were described as hostages, Fontanilla corroborated the truthfulness of the video as presented by Al Jazeera.

“We also have a copy of that video, we got it from independent civilians and that was true except that those individuals were not hostages but mere civilians,” Fontanilla told The Tribune.

He cited the ceasefire called by the MNLF during the standoff but was turned down by the government and proceeded with military action was actually meant for a safe passage of the civilians caught in the middle of the conflict.

“Those were civilians allowed by the MNLF to leave the area. Remember at the early stages of the standoff, the MNLF asked for a ceasefire, through the intervention of religious leaders and imam? That was the reason — to free the innocent civilians,” Fontanilla stressed.

The MNLF official cited statements from a Commission on Human Rights (CHR) official stating the military’s supposed violation of human rights during the Zamboanga City siege.

He specifically mentioned the looting committed by soldiers in Barangay Sta. Catalina at the height of the conflict.

“The military really conducted house-to-house clearing operation, that means looting,” Fontanilla noted.

Five Army soldiers are currently undergoing investigation in connection with the alleged looting.

Fontanilla also accused the soldiers of involvement in setting up ablaze several residential structures in the conflict area.

“They were the ones responsible in burning down houses of innocent civilians,” he claimed.

Al Jazeera said the footage raised fresh questions on the conduct of military operations in the standoff with the MNLF.

The video initially showed a crowd waving white flags who were described as hostages of the MNLF before shots were heard in the background that resulted in the individuals scampering for safety while some dove for cover.

The video then showed a commotion supposedly individuals looking for any safe ground while continuous firing was heard in the background. Eventually, the video showed several of the supposed hostages prone on the ground, with some appearing to have been shot.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has already denied shooting at the hostages and pointed to the MNLF Misuari faction as responsible in the shooting of the hostages.

Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, AFP-Public Affairs Office chief, even criticized the Tribune for what he described as wrong headline “Al Jazeera video shows military shoot hostages.”

“The video speaks for itself. We did not fire at the hostages... we were tasked to rescue the hostages, no way will we fire at them,” he stressed.

According to Zagala, the video, believed to have been taken from a cellular phone last Sept. 13, or the fourth day of the siege, laid by Misuari followers in Zamboanga City, clearly showed that the firing came near the hostages.

“The hostages were in the middle of Lustre Street, in front of KGK Building which was occupied by the MNLF Misuari faction, while the AFP troops were positioned 200 to 300 meters away,” Zagala said.

At the same time, he stressed the military is ready to face any investigation on the matter.

The siege resulted in the killing of more than 200 Misuari supporters, more than 20 government security forces and 12 civilians. More than 10,000 residential structures were also burned down.

Meanwhile, Misuari has ordered the expulsion of two of his leaders in Davao for reportedly collaborating with the government, through the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), in exchange for livelihood and cash.

“The MNLF has officially expelled the group of Jimmy Labawan and Attorney Parcasio (vice chairman and legal counsel of MNLF-Davao) from MNLF roster for collaborating with the OPAPP, betrayal of the cause and usurpation of leadership as per instruction of Chairman Misuari,” Fontanilla told the Tribune.

According to Fontanilla, the expulsion of Labawan and Parcasio was based on a written instruction from Misuari, who is now wanted for the 20-siege laid by his followers on Zamboanga City from Sept. 9 to Sept. 29.

Fontanilla, at the same time, accused the OPAPP, under Secretary Teresita Deles, of utilizing the centuries-old divide and rule tactic in dealing with the MNLF.

“(They were offered) cash, livelihood from the OPAPP. This is common secret to MNLF members, the policy of divide and rule of OPAPP to negotiate with beholden and controlled group,” he noted.

Fontanilla said the OPAPP and Labawan’s supposed “collaboration” came amid the conflict in Zamboanga City where Misuari supporters, led by Ustadz Habier Malik, attempted to raise the MNLF flag at the city hall but were prevented.

He stressed the supposed collaboration between Labawan’s group and the OPAPP only helps the MNLF group of Misuari to identify “traitors.”

“We are happy because it unwittingly cleanse the MNLF of traitors,” Fontanilla said.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/mnlf-corroborates-footage-of-zambo-civilian-shooting