Zambo mayor imposes 8 p.m.- 5 a.m. curfew amid MNLF-gov't troops stand-off

Zamboanga City Mayor Beng Climaco on Monday afternoon declared the imposition of a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. amid the encounter between government troops and a faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Monday.

Climaco said the declaration is with authority from the City Council, which met on a special session Monday afternoon.

“With the curfew, only people working directly in managing situation will be permitted to go around the City including those in the medical profession and working for evacuation and distribution of relief goods,” she said in a post on her Facebook account.

“Others who will be out on the streets will be invited for interrogation,” she added.

The city government of Zamboanga also announced, through its Twitter account, that work in all offices, except for those providing frontline services, and classes in all levels both in public and private institutions will be suspended Tuesday.

As of Monday afternoon, six people have been reported killed and 24 wounded. Some 300 civilians were also held hostage by the rebel group.

Some 1000 evacuees from the affected barangays are staying at the city grandstand and 1,500 in Barangay Tetuan. The city government said the count is still increasing. — Amita Legaspi/BM, GMA News