Police raid Misuari’s house in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Policemen yesterday blasted their way into the house of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman Nur Misuari accused of masterminding the three-week siege of the city that left hundreds of people killed and homeless.

Police forces, supported by government troops, swooped down at the house of Misuari at Sitio Pasay in Barangay San Roque.

Villagers were awakened at dawn while security forces used explosives to tear down the steel gate of the compound to gain entry and serve the search warrant.

Police on Thursday filed charges of rebellion and violation of international humanitarian law against Misuari and 83 of his followers over the deadly three-week siege in the city.

Regional police spokesman Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca said the lawmen failed to find anyone to receive the search warrant, believing the house was abandoned during the intense firefight between government forces and MNLF rebels for control of the city.

“The Philippine National Police was forced to deploy an access charge. No one was arrested. What we were doing here was part of the legal offensive to build more strong cases against Mr. Nur Misuari,” Huesca said.

Huesca said the lawmen were authorized to gather evidence to bolster the case against Misuari. Police Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) recovered sacks of documents inside the house during the raid.

Huesca added the lawmen also seized several bomb components from the compound.

Police also apprehended two men who were seen loitering outside the compound during the raid. Huesca said the lawmen later found they were MNLF rebels who were monitoring the activities of the raiding policemen.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima gave assurance that there is a strong case against Misuari and his men over the three-week siege of Zamboanga City.

De Lima said a total of 284 rebels, including Misuari, had been charged before the City Prosecutor’s Office by the regional police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) under Chief Superintendent Edgar Danao.

De Lima said state prosecutors informed her they are ready to file the criminal information in court next week, corresponding to the first batch of rebels that included Misuari and his trusted commander Habier Malik.

The CIDG said they would file the charges in six batches.

She said the charges of rebellion and violation of the Republic Act 9851, or Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide and Other Crimes Against Humanity were filed against Misuari and his men who “committed and staged” the weeks of siege in this city.

“Now, this time around, we are making sure that when the prosecutors filed the information against Misuari et al, we have solid basis that this would lead to the successful prosecution,” De Lima said.

De Lima noted Misuari had been charged in the Cabatangan siege in 2001 here but he was not indicted and the charges were dropped for lack of evidence and witnesses.

De Lima assured the public that in this current incident, the cases will hold in court “because there are several witnesses now that would prove the involvement of Nur Misuari.”

“The marching order of the President (Aquino) is to make sure the cases that would be filed against Misuari et al this time is successful,” she said.

Once the cases are filed in court, De Lima said they would also impose remedies, including a hold departure order to prevent Misuari from leaving the country.

Counterstrikes

The MNLF, on the other hand, said they would file a case against the Philippine government on the charges filed against Misuari.

Rebel group spokesman Emmanuel Fontanilla said the MNLF is set to file the complaint before the International Criminal Court (ICC) to question the nature of the charges of crimes against humanity filed against Misuari who was accused of masterminding the attack in Zamboanga.

Fontanilla said MNLF legal panel is now coordinating with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in building the cases against the Philippine government to be filed before the ICC in Netherlands next month.

“We will be submitting documents including international and local media reports on the Zamboanga siege,” he said. - Perseus Echeminada, Jaime Laude, Rhodina Villanueva