Minsupala refuses to recognize Sema as MNLF chairman

Koronadal City – Officers and members of the Special Forces of the Moro National Liberation Front based in the Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan (Minsupala) areas refuse to recognize Muslimin Sema as the new chair of the MNLF Central Committee.

For them, jailed Moro leader Nur Misuari is still the national chairman of the MNLF and they will not turn their back on him (Misuari) being “the founder and true leader of the front.”

Major General Rodrigo Fabillon, whose appointment as commanding-general of the MNLF Special Forces in Min­supala areas was signed by Misuari, said the entire SF command is not giving their support to Sema as their gesture of protest to the MNLF Council of 15 for declaring Misuari as “MNLF chair emeritus.”

“We don’t recognize the presence of the MNLF Council of 15 who we believe helped in the election of Sema to become the new chair of the MNLF. For us, there is only one and legitimate chairman of the MNLF and that is Nur Misuari,” Fabillon, who is also appointed as the MNLF deputy Chief of Staff Mobilization for Peace, told The STAR yesterday.

The MNLF-SF in Minsu­pala areas have 19 divisions and each of the division is composed of four brigades. One division has 12,000 members. 

Fabillon, who was among those MNLF officials who were invited to attend the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) meeting in Senegal, clarified that MNLF chairmanship is not decided by the MNLF Council of 15 but by the 57 nation-members of the OIC.

“Sema’s leadership is confined only to the Council of 15. Our loyalty remains with Misuari because he is the legitimate and only recognized MNLF chair all over the world,” Fabillon said.

Sema’s election reportedly took place during the MNLF central committee meeting in Pagadian City last week.

The STAR learned from Fabillon that some of the MNLF, including his command, leaders and followers from the provinces of Basilan, TawiTawi and Sulu did not attend the said meeting.