MILF pushes for ‘fair treatment’ for Isnaji, son

MANILA, Philippines - The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) sought "fair treatment" for Indanan, Sulu Mayor Alvarez Isnaji and his son Haider shortly before their preliminary investigation Monday. The MILF, in a statement posted Sunday night on its website, urged government to treat the Isnajis as "human beings" and not like guilty people. "We sympathize with the Isnajis in their hour of ordeal from the hands of the very government that he whole-heartedly serves. Instead of words of appreciation for a job well done for freeing the kidnapped victims, Isnaji was tagged as the kidnapper," said MILF secretariat chairman Muhammad Ameen. He added Mayor Isnaji, under "Philippine laws and other civilized laws," is innocent of the charges until proven guilty in a fair trial by a competent court. "There is so much trial by publicity. This is unfair and a letdown for someone like Alvarez Isnaji, who is not only a town mayor, but the president of the League of Municipal Mayors of Sulu province, and a ranking official of the Moro National Liberation Front," he said. But Ameen stressed that if the Isnajis are found guilty of the kidnapping charges, provided there is fair trial, the MILF will support that justice is served and the guilty punished. Isnaji and his son were charged for the kidnapping of television news anchor Cecilia Victoria "Ces" Oreña-Drilon, cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion, driver Angelo Valderama, and Mindanao State University professor Octavio Dinampo last June 8. Police claimed Isnaji double-crossed the Oreña family who paid P5 million for Drilon's release, but released Valderama instead. On the other hand, they also claimed Isnaji double-crossed the kidnappers as well when he kept P3 million of the loot. Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said that with former MNLF chairman Nur Misuari's help, they found out that the "Laring-Laring" the kidnappers were referring to was the Indanan mayor. Mayor Isnaji is running for governor as an independent candidate in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) election on August 11. Ameen said the MILF will never condone wrongdoing, whether by an ordinary man or the highest official of the land. He also lauded the efforts of the MNLF under Mayor Muslimin Sema to come to the rescue of Isnaji, who has denied the accusation and said all what he wanted was to help. Last June 14, leaders of the MILF and MNLF signed a covenant of cooperation at Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat, Shariff Kabunsuan through the mechanism of the Bangsamoro Solidarity Conference (BSC). BSC will function as coordinating body between the two Moro groups and others who wish to join later. MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim headed the MILF group and Sema led the MNLF side. In the covenant, both MILF and MNLF agreed that they consider the ARMM election as a "grave obstacle" to the ongoing GRP-MILF peace process and the GRP-OIC-MNLF Tripartite Talks. They agreed to request the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to recognize and support this unification initiative, as part of the larger effort to forge a genuine unity and solidarity of all leaders and groups of the Bangsamoro people. - GMANews.TV