No confirmed reports yet of MNLF surrender – PNoy

Published September 13, 2013 11:20am

(Updated 3:15 p.m.) There have been no confirmed reports that some Moro National Liberation Front gunmen in Zamboanga City have surrendered to authorities, President Benigno Aquino III and a military official said Friday.

At a press conference in Zamboanga City, Aquino said: "Mali yata yung report. Wala pa ring sumuko ngayon. Walang walumpu."

But the President said there are those [MNLF members] who were arrested or were forced to flee.

Earlier in the day, Armed Forces information chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala told GMA News TV's News to Go: “Sa ngayon wala po tayong nagsusurrender na MNLF. Meron po tayong continuous negotiations.”

Citing unnamed police sources and residents, Rappler.com had reported that 80 MNLF gunmen surrendered late Thursday night.

Government security forces and MNLF fighters are locked in a standoff in at least six villages in Zamboanga City since early Monday. Five people have been killed while 36 others have been wounded.

Zagala said that despite the conflict, they've opened up lines of communication with the MNLF aimed at ending the crisis.

“At ang importante dito is yung negotiation natin ay naka focus sa safety and security ng hostages. The last thing we want is merong mga hostage na masaktan o mapatay,” Zagala said.

“Sa ngayon, tuloy-tuloy parin ang ating containment operation. Ang mission natin ngayon ay to ensure ang safety and security ng ating mga hostages at ating mga kababayan na naiipit sa labanan na ito,” he added.

Zagala likewise said they are exhausting all means to end the crisis as soon as possible in the most peaceful way. — Andrei Medina and Kimberly Jane Tan/RSJ, GMA News

Tags: mnlf, zamboangacity, zamboangacityattack