August 19, 2009, GMA News, 5:14 PM, 7 dead as AFP ends MNLF siege of Palawan island, by Mark Meruenas,

August 19, 2009, GMA News, 5:14 PM, 7 dead as AFP ends MNLF siege of Palawan island, by Mark Meruenas, 

Seven suspected Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) rebels were killed in an encounter with government troops on Wednesday, ending days of rebel occupation on an island in western Philippines, a military official said.

Lt. Col. Yuri Pesigan, commanding officer of the Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT) 8, said a Marine sniper was wounded in the action and brought to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Pesigan said the rebel group, numbering from 30 to 40, was the same one that held hostage seven people on Mantangule Island in Palawan province last Saturday.

"Meron din ‘yung eskwelahan, dun dinala 'yung mga dating mga kanilang hinostage na mga native.Pero before na nagkameron kami ng assault, pinawalan na nila yung mga hostage," Pesigan said.

(They brought the hostages to a school there, but they freed them even before our assault started.)

It was not immediately clear if ransom was paid, but the military received reports that the rebels tried asking money from the island’s residents.

"Yung nakuha naming information nag-extortion sila dun sa mga residents dun sa isla (We received reports that they tried extorting money from the residents on the island)," Pesigan said.

Broken promise

The official said they were forced to launch an offensive after the rebels broke their promise to abandon the island before Tuesday night. Three ships containing forces from the MBLT 8 were sent to the area, augmented by Navy SEALS and members of the Palawan provincial police.

Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said the rebels took over the island after its leader, a certain Abdullah Abdurajak, contested the three charges earlier filed against him for illegal possession of firearms.

"Bilang paraan [na ipakita] na hindi siya sasama at papahuli, inipon niya ang mga tauhan niya at in-occupy ang lugar na ito (He and his men occupied the island to show that he will not allow himself to be arrested) ," Arevalo told QTV's Balitanghali.

"This is a clear criminal and terroristic act," he added.

Seven unidentified bodies were recovered after the firefight, which ended about 2 p.m., according to Pesigan, adding that the rebels escaped by mingling with the civilian population.

Authorities are still verifying reports that Abdurajak was one of the fatalities.

Misuari

In Malacañang, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said MNLF chairman Nur Misuari had volunteered to assist in solving the siege in Palawan.

Remonde said Misuari’s offer is very much welcomed as it proves that he is not condoning the wrongdoing of his men.

"The Armed Forces and MNLF chairman Misuari himself has volunteered to help solved this problem which is a good sign that the MNLF chairman does not condone these activities but so far this has already been contained by the military in that area," he said.

Misuari founded the MNLF in the early 1970s. He signed a peace deal with the government in September 1996, ending decades of bloody war. He was then elected as the governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

But in 2001, Misuari was ousted from the MNLF by his Foreign Affairs chief Parouk Hussin, who along with other senior leaders of the group made up the so-called Council of 15.

The Council of 15 accused Misuari of being incompetent as governor of ARMM.

In November 2001, on the eve of ARMM elections, Misuari accused the government of reneging on the peace agreement. He then launched a new rebellion in Sulu and Zamboanga City, where more than 100 people were killed.

When the fighting ceased, Misuari escaped by boat to Malaysia where he was arrested. He was then deported to the Philippines. Despite this, many MNLF fighters have remained loyal to him. - GMANews.TV