Leader of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MNLF) Nur Misuari came out after three years in hiding in order to meet President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañang on Thursday afternoon, November 3.
“I came here to thank him for restoring my freedom, if only partially. I am so happy to be free again, owing to the initiative of our President,” Misuari said.
Misuari was accompanied by Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza to Manila after the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 158 allowed the suspension of the proceedings against him and thus the suspension of the arrest warrant for Misuari was also suspended. The arrest warrant against Misuari was put on hold upon the order of Duterte.
Misuari and Dureza arrived in Manila at 1:15 PM and was welcomed by the President at the Malacañang Palace around 4:00 PM.
Misuari said that he accepted the President’s invitation because he is “the man whom I respect and trust.”
“For I believe, as I said during the campaign, that this one single man who can provide solution to the problem of peace and order in our homeland,” he added.
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The President expressed his gratefulness to the MNLF leader to his acceptance to the invitation to the Palace.
“It is with great happiness that I announce to the nation that Chairman Nur Misuari, our brother who heads the MNLF, has finally decided to just accept my invitation for him to talk to us,” Duterte said.
In turn, the MNLF leader gave President Duterte an assurance that he would lend a hand on his administration’s campaign for lasting peace.
“Just allow me to reiterate my sense of gratitude to the President and I promise that should he need our cooperation in his campaign for peace, you can count on us, Mr. President,” Misuari said.
However, the victims of the Zamboanga siege in 2013 continue to suffer until now.
More than 2,000 families who were victims of the siege led by MNLF leader Nur Misuari currently seeks refuge at the transitory sites.
When asked about their current situation, one victim said that the houses that were being built by the government for them is still not done after three years. Victims are enraged that the MNLF leader’s warrant was suspended while they continue to suffer from 2013 siege.
Zamboanga City Mayor Beng Climaco-Salazar said that she was saddened by the news but that she respects President Duterte’s “road to peace.”
The City Mayor assures that the local government will continue to seek for justice to the victims. According to her, she had reached out to President Duterte numerous times to tell him that Misuari must face the case filed against him in court even if he might play a vital role in the peace talks.
The three-week siege that happened in September 2013 in Zambaonga City killed nine soldiers, five policemen, 11 civilians, about 100 MNLF rebels, and displaced 2,000 families who until now await for justice to be properly served.
Dureza said that search for justice for the victims of the Zamboanga siege will continue even if Misuari actively takes part in the peace process in Mindanao.
“We are just going to avail of him being a free man right now so we can engage him closely as we work on this roadmap of the president right now,” Dureza said.
“We fully understand how they feel about it but this is not just to remove those particular cases. We’re merely making a little window so we can push forward a more comprehensive and a more inclusive approach to our peace,” he added.
Dureza also said that the Philippine government is left with “no choice” but to deal with Misuari’s cases because these are pending in court.
Source: (newsinfo.inquirer.net, news.abs-cbn.com)
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