Losses caused by Zambo conflict reach ‘unquantifiable’ levels

DAVAO CITY , Philippines– The Mindanao Business Council (MBC) has lamented that the losses caused by the standoff between government troops and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) forces in Zamboanga City have reached “unquantifiable” levels as the eight-day siege has affected other parts of Mindanao.

“It is unquantifiable as the losses do not only include the economic losses but also the loss of lives and properties as a result of the ongoing skirmishes between the MNLF and government forces,” MBC president Vicente Lao yesterday told The STAR.

“This is a very big setback to the development and progress of Mindanao that we have been working on,” he added.

As of yesterday, the Zamboanga standoff has left 60 people killed, scores injured and 64,000 residents displaced.

Lao said authorities should address the conflict with finality because if it drags on, it would result in more economic losses and affect investments in the south.

“The government should also go after (MNLF founding chairman) Nur Misuari. Misuari should be dealt with properly, unlike in the past wherein he just got away with his past acts,” he stressed.

“This is going to be a black mark not only on Mindanao but also of the Philippines as a whole. How can you assure investors of the safety of their investments if such things happen in Mindanao?” the MBC chief pointed out.

Traders in Zamboanga City have also expressed concern over the continued standoff.

Economic activities affected

Since the armed conflict started last week, commercial flights to Zamboanga have been suspended, stranding thousands of passengers and affecting economic activities.

Classes and offices have also been suspended while most stores remain closed.

Banks are reportedly running out of cash to keep the economy of Zamboanga City going.

“It is a pity because Zamboanga is considered to be the main trading and commercial hub in western Mindanao. And look what happened,” a local businessman told The STAR.

Rolls of justice suspended

Even the rolls of justice in Zamboanga have come to a standstill.

Hearings and offices of courts at the City Hall of Justice remained suspended yesterday.

Supreme Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez said that while authorities have secured the hall of justice, which houses the trial courts in the city, it could still not operate because of the massive security threat in the city.

“The affected courts would have to suspend hearings and offices considering the current situation,” explained Marquez, who supervises all trial courts nationwide.

“The cases pending in those courts are inevitably stalled in the meantime,” he added.

He admitted that there is no time frame as to when the local courts would open and could not tell if there are urgent, big cases affected so far by the crisis, but he stressed that developments are being monitored daily.

‘Standoff a cover up for pork barrel scam’

The labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), meanwhile, claimed that President Aquino waged the standoff in an apparent attempt to cover up the pork barrel scam being faced by his government.

In a statement, KMU chairman Elmer Labog also said that KMU members would expose the Aquino government’s motives in launching the standoff and would hold protests against the military operations in Zamboanga City.– With Edu Punay, Mayen Jaymalin