Soldiers in Zambo still face danger as clearing continues

MANILA, Philippines - The worst may be over but the danger remains.

The military  admitted that soldiers conducting clearing operations in Zamboanga City are still facing dangers even if the actual combat operations have been finished.

Armed Forces public affairs chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said there are still Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) stragglers who refuse to surrender.

“Danger is present while undertaking the clearing operations. You don’t know how many they are, what weapons they still have and they are desperate. Desperate men will do the unthinkable,” Zagala said in a press briefing.

“We want to neutralize them through surrender or capture but sometimes, they do not want that,” he added.

Zagala said one soldier, a former MNLF member, was killed by a rebel in a clearing operation in Barangay Sta. Barbara Monday morning.

Cpl. Hakim Jaafar, a member of the 44th battalion Alpha Company, was shot in the head by an MNLF straggler who tried to resist the security forces.

The soldiers came across a house and shouted to determine if someone is using it as a hiding place. They even threw a grenade at it but there was no response.

When they entered the house, an MNLF straggler suddenly fired at the security forces and managed to kill Jaafar. The soldiers fought back and managed to kill the rebel.

Zagala said Jaafar was the first soldier to be killed since they shifted from combat to law enforcement operations.

Security forces have arrested one MNLF straggler and killed nine others since Saturday, when officials declared that the Zamboanga crisis is over.  Zagala, however, could not tell how many Misuari followers are still in the area.

“As we continue clearing, we will be able to get a clearer picture. Aside from stragglers, there are a lot of killed enemies in the battle area that we have to recover,” he said.

When asked whether the MNLF Misuari faction could still regroup, Zagala said: “No more. They are already defeated. They are fleeing. They are evading capture.”

“If they do regroup, thousands of AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and PNP (Philippine National Police) troops are there on the ground and they are no match,” he added.

Zagala said the flags in all military camps had been flown at half mast since Friday in honor of the soldiers who died in Zamboanga.

The crisis has claimed the lives of 192 Misuari followers, 19 soldiers, five policemen and 12 civilians.