MNLF rebels in Zambo siege en route to MM

MANILA, Philippines - At least 200 members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) involved in the bloody three-week siege of Zamboanga City last September are on their way to Metro Manila under tight security, officials said yesterday.

Personnel from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) escorted 266 MNLF detainees to the Navy Landing Ship Transport 550 – a military ship comparable to a roll-on, roll-off vessel – from the San Ramon Penal Farm and 26 from the Zamboanga City Reformatory Center yesterday morning.

Col. Andrelino Colina, commander of the Task Force Zamboanga, said security forces that included the military and the Philippine National Police (PNP) escorted the detainees to the ship.

“The movement of the detainees was not made public due to security considerations,” Colina said.

Colina said they implemented tight security measures to thwart any attempt to free the rebels.

The transfer of custody of the detained MNLF rebels was made following the Supreme Court resolution allowing the transfer of venue of the trial to a court in Manila.

The rebels would be moved to  Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Security forces, however, remained on high alert in Zamboanga City for possible retaliatory attacks from the MNLF forces identified with Nur Misuari, who remains at large.

The MNLF leader and several of his men were charged with rebellion and violation of international humanitarian law, genocide and other crimes against humanity in connection with the September siege.

More than 200 people died and nearly 10,000 became homeless during the three-week siege of the city by Misuari-led MNLF forces, which began on Sept. 9. Government troops prevented Misuari and his men from storming the Zamboanga city hall to put up their independence flag.