Misuari, on furlough, says he backs RP-MILF peace talks

Jailed former governor Nur Misuari of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) backed yesterday the peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The MILF began in 1978 as a breakaway group of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

Speaking at the Blue Mosque in Maharlika Village in Taguig City, Misuari said: "We don’t want hypocritical peace anymore. We want a real and genuine peace. If the government and the MILF can give that meaningful, permanent and durable peace in Mindanao, they have our support,"

Makati City regional trial court Judge Sixto Marella Jr. gave Misuari an almost eight-hour furlough to take part in the Eid’l Adha or Feast of Sacrifice celebration at the Blue Mosque in Taguig yesterday.

Marella ordered Misuari released from detention at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna at 4 a.m. and returned to the police training camp at 12 noon.

Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuño did not object to Misuari’s request to attend the Islamic religious celebration.

Misuari assured President Arroyo that "as long as she is in Malacañang, not only the MNLF but the whole of Mindanao will support her."

"We should support government efforts to improve the national economy by having peace in Mindanao," he said. "With that, surely, we can have investors from every part of the world and eventually realize the long-awaited (goal)," he told his supporters and the Muslim community in Maharlika Village.

However, Misuari said the MNLF, which he once headed, wants the 1996 peace agreement it signed with the Ramos administration fully implemented.

"Peace is essential to our life and to our system so that our refugees can go back," he said. "They are scattered in so many places in the world, in neighboring Southeast Asian countries. They can come back and start a new life."

At Malacañang, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye yesterday denied any secret deal between the administration and Misuari.

"I don’t know about that (agreement)," he said. "I just heard on the radio today… that he made a speech that seems to support many of the programs being pushed by the present administration."

Asked whether there was a deal for Misuari to support Mrs. Arroyo in exchange for a favorable court ruling on his rebellion case, Bunye said: "I don’t think so."

Guarding Misuari were dozens of heavily armed police commandos as he traveled from Fort Sto. Domingo to mosque in Taguig to join other Muslims in prayer.

Wearing a brown suit and tie, Misuari looked pale and sickly as he met with cheering supporters in his first public appearance since he was jailed.

Misuari was also accompanied by Marine Brig. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, Task Force Ranao and Ad Hoc Joint Action Group commander, whom Malacañang had dispatched to escort him.

Dolorfino is also a Muslim.

The four-year-old rebellion case against Misuari was transferred to Marella’s court after Judge Ricardo Rosario, who had been hearing the same case since it was filed in January 2002, was named to the Court of Appeals.

Marella’s staff officially received records of the case from Rosario’s office yesterday — six volumes with more or less 1,500 pages.

Marella will go to Fort Sto. Domingo along with three court personnel for the trial of Misuari’s case.

The Supreme Court has designated Marella to replace Rosario in hearing the case of Misuari.

Marella will be the fourth judge to handle Misuari’s case after Judge Norberto Geraldez of Calamba, Laguna, Estella Cabuco-Andres of San Pedro, Laguna, and Rosario.

Geraldez was named Sandiganbayan associate justice, while Rosario is now an associate justice of the Court of Appeals.

Misuari has a pending motion to be allowed to undergo medical examination and treatment.

His lawyer, Arthur Lim, has written the Supreme Court that Misuari was suffering from essential hypertension and acute respiratory tract infection and would require medical examination and treatment.

On Nov. 15 last year, Tarhata Misuari, wife of Misuari, appealed to the high court to immediately designate another judge to replace Rosario and to act on Misuari’s petition for medical treatment and to expedite the early resolution of her husband’s case.

‘No trial delay’

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez denied yesterday that the government was delaying Misuari’s rebellion trial.

"We are not blocking (the case)," he said. "The reason for the delay was there was no judge."

Gonzalez said Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. has even proposed that Misuari be allowed to just go on exile.

"I think there were negotiations before for Misuari to go on exile as part of the peace process," he said. "This has been discussed before the 2004 elections. One of its major proponents was the House speaker."

Misuari’s rebellion case has still a long way to go considering that the trial is in the stage wherein the prosecution is presenting witnesses, including state witness Gapur Salassay.

Misuari was jailed in 2001 for leading a failed rebellion in the Sulu archipelago that left over 100 people dead.

Misuari led his forces in coordinated attacks against military camps in Jolo and in Zamboanga City.

Misuari was named ARMM governor after the MNLF signed a peace pact with the government in 1996.

After the 2001 rebellion, Misuari fled to Sabah where he was arrested and sent back to the Philippines.

Eid’l Adha celebrates the pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the five pillars of Islam.

Filipino pilgrims are expected to arrive from Mecca by Jan. 15.

In Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte Mayor Motalib Dimaporo led his Maranaw constituents for a prayer gathering in Poblacion to celebrate the Feast of Sacrifice and work for peace. — With reports from Michael Punongbayan, Paolo Romero, Richel Umel, Jose Rodel Clapano, Mike Frialde, AFP