Nur bad-mouthing gov't before OIC

Gov. Nur Misuari of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is facing possible sanctions for "washing dirty linen" before an international forum and bad-mouthing the government, officials said yesterday.

President Estrada sent National Security Adviser Alexander Aguirre to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia yesterday to brief the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) on the government's compliance with the 1996 peace agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) which Misuari chairs.

The move is meant to counteract any erroneous information about the Mindanao conflict that Misuari may be presenting to the OIC.

Reports the other day said Misuari is blocking the government's efforts to forge a peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Li-beration Front (MILF), which broke away from the MNLF several years ago. Misuari reportedly lambasted the government in a speech before the OIC in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Briefing Palace reporters after the Cabinet meeting last night, Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado indicated that Misuari had committed acts that could be considered inappropriate for an elected government official.

Government officials said they will leave it to President Estrada to deal with Misuari upon the ARMM governor's return to the Philippines.

Foreign ministers of OIC member countries will hold their 27th meeting in the Malaysian capital.

Aguirre and his six-member delegation will update the OIC's ministerial committee of the six after OIC secretary general Ezzedine Laraki decided to skip Manila on the advice of Foreign Affairs Secretary Domingo Siazon Jr.

The ministerial committee of the six is comprised of Indonesia as chairman with members Libya, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Bangladesh, and Somalia.

Before leaving for Kuala Lumpur, Aguirre said in a statement that they would also inform OIC member countries about the administration's peace and development programs in Mindanao.

"The continuing implementation of the GRP-MNLF peace agreement, together with the present peace process with the MILF despite firm action by the government on the MILF armed rebellion, is a major strategic element in the attainment of a durable, just and comprehensive peace in Mindanao," he said.

As for Gov. Nur Misuari's allegations that the government has not complied with the peace agreement, Aguirre said some P18 billion worth of projects have been undertaken in Mindanao.

"The agreement has resulted in the return of the MNLF to the fold of the law, and in substantial socio-economic development efforts in the cities and provinces within the Special Zone of Peace and Development (SZOPAD), amounting to more than P18 billion despite the serious constraints imposed upon government resources by the Asian economic crisis," he said.

Aguirre said the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) received P3.5 billion annually from the national government between 1996 and 1999; and P14.3 billion from 1996 to March this year, while the SZOPAD was given P308 million for operations.

"The efforts by government to substantively implement the GRP-MNLF peace agreement side-by-side with the resumption of peace negotiations with the MILF - along with the continued pursuit of the peace process in Mindanao - have made possible the development initiatives in Southern Philippines as well as the active participation of former rebels, not only in government affairs, but more importantly in mainstream Philippine society," he said.

Aguirre said 4,850 MNLF fighters have been integrated into the Armed Forces, while 1,000 have joined the Philippine National Police.

Aguirre's delegation is comprised of Undersecretary Nabil Tan, deputy presidential adviser on the peace process, Tawi-Tawi Gov. Sadikul Sahali, and Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Rafael Seguis.

In Sarangani, residents have fled their homes in three barangays in Kiamba town following reports that government troops will attack Moro guerrillas occupying the mountain barangay of Gasi.

Col. Delfin Lorenzana, commander of the Army's Infantry Brigade, said his troops will move into Gasi if the rebels refuse to withdraw as they had promised.

Led by a certain Commander Cobra, the rebels stopped over in Gasi last May 25 on their way to Camp Abu Obaida on the boundary of Maitum town, Sarangani and Palimbang town, Sultan Kudarat, he added.

Lorenzana said the rebels, through the intervention of local officials led by Kiamba Mayor Raul Martinez, had promised to leave Gasi after a few days of rest.

He said Martinez arranged for a boat to ferry the rebels to Palimbang, but they asked for an extension of their stay in the barangay.

"We had given them enough time," he said. "We will have no choice but to force them out of the area through the military option if they would continue to ignore the demand to leave by the local officials and residents."

Yesterday, Gov. Priscilla Chiongbian sent emissaries led by Provincial Administrator Perla Maglinte to talk with the rebels, but they have not received any response.

As of noon yesterday, the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council estimated close to 1,500 people have fled their homes in barangays Gasi, Datu Dani, and Lagundi. They are mostly B'laans and T'bolis.

Gasi barangay chairman Jaime Fado said the rebels had reinforced their comrades in Shariff Aguak and Talayan at the height of fighting

last month.

"They are weary fighters," he told reporters. "They came very, very tired and they claimed to have been walking for at least 20 days."

Fado said the rebels asked for food and a place to rest when they first arrived at around 5 p.m. on May 25 and promised to move on to Palimbang town after a few days.

However, the tension has prevented them from withdrawing from the barangay, he added. - By Marichu Villanueva