MNLF body twits Nur claim on leadership

The 15-man Executive Council of the Moro National Liberation Front reiterated yesterday its claim as the official leadership body and not Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Nur Misuari.

MNLF chairman of foreign affairs Dr. Parouk Hussin, who is part of the 15-man executive council, reacted to the statement of Misuari the other day claiming that he is still the head of the MNLF.

Misuari used as his basis the invitation sent out by the Organization of the Islamic Conference to his group to attend the 28th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers meeting in Mali on June 24 to 29.

The invitation was apparently sent to Misuari as the MNLF chairman inspite of a recent reform implemented by the Central Committee in the leadership of the group.

The reform resulted in Misuari’s being "promoted" to chairman emeritus, but all of his powers and authority as the former chairman were taken away.

Hussin added that the OIC always sends out its invitations two months before the actual date of the meeting and way before the Executive Council was able to announce the reform within the MNLF.

He noted that the OIC was only informed about the reform a week after the decision to remove Misuari last April 28 and during that time the invitations were already sent out.

The Executive Council members who were with Hussin in the press conference yesterday added that they also anticipated that the invitation for Misuari would be recalled by the OIC in response to their communications about the reform. — Marvin Sy