Jolo Rebels To Free Hostages

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 03 Feb) – Moro National Liberation Front rebels holding senior Philippine defense officials and soldiers in the southern island of Jolo may soon free all hostages after a series of government negotiations.

The rebels, led by Habier Malik and Khaid Ajibun, have held since Friday Major General Mohamad Dolorfino, of the Philippine Marines; Colonels Davy Ramon and Sibayan, of the Philippine Army; Defense Under Secretary Ramon Santos and 21 soldiers and staff of Presidential peace adviser, Jesus Dureza.

"The group of General Dolorfino may soon go home," a source privy with the ongoing negotiations, said without elaborating.

They were demanding the government to free detained rebel chieftain Nur Misuari, who is facing rebellion charges in Manila, so he can lead the MNLF to a tripartite conference with Philippine officials and the influential Organization of Islamic Conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this month.

Muslimen Sema, the MNLF secretary general and mayor of Cotabato City, said his group is confident that the problems would be resolved peacefully.

"We are confident the problem can be overcome with both sides sincerity and open mindedness," Sema told the Mindanao Examiner late on Saturday.

Misuari signed a peace deal with Manila in September 1996, ending more than 20 years of bloody fighting in the southern Philippines. After the peace agreement was signed, Misuari became the governor of autonomous region.

But many former guerrillas were disgruntled with the peace accord, saying, the government failed to comply with some of its provisions and uplift their standards of living. They accused the government of failing to develop the war-torn areas in the south, which remain in mired in poverty, heavily militarized and dependent financially on Manila.

And in November 2001, on the eve of the elections in the Muslim autonomous region, Misuari also accused the government of reneging on the peace agreement, and launched a new rebellion in Jolo island and Zamboanga City, where more than 100 people were killed.

Misuari then escaped by boat to Malaysia only to be arrested there and deported to the Philippines.The OIC wanted Misuari released from jail to head the MNLF delegation to Saudi Arabia for the meeting.

Dolorfino flew to Jolo island on Friday morning for a meeting with MNLF leaders, but had been taken captive later in the day after the rebels thumbed down a government proposal to postpone the tripartite meeting.

Southern Philippines military commander Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo denied the reports about the hostage-taking. “It’s not true. They are there in Jolo to talk about the peace agreement with the MNLF,” he said in a separate interview on Saturday.

Dureza, accompanied by Jolo governor Benjamin Loong, flew to the island Saturday to verify the reports. “I was told that the MNLF has asked the group of General Dolorfino to stay in Jolo to clarify some matters, especially on the matters of the holding of the tripartite meeting in Saudi,” Dureza said.

He said Manila agreed to preliminary meetings that will eventually lead to the holding of tripartite conference in Jeddah. Dureza said Dolorfino’s group is being treated well. “They are all fine and well treated and their only complaint was that it is so cold up there (in the mountain),” he said.

Dolorfino on Saturday said rebels prevented them to leave Jolo island until the issue on the holding of the tripartite meeting has been resolved. “We were asked to stay in Jolo until such time the issue of the holding of the tripartite meeting is resolved,” he said by mobile phone from a rebel base in Jolo.

The OIC brokered the peace talks between Manila and the MNLF until a formal agreement. (Mindanao Examiner)