Phl to Jakarta: Gov’t doing everything to resolve standoff

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines assured Indonesia yesterday that the government is doing all it can to end the week-long standoff between security forces and Muslim rebels who have tried to take over Zamboanga City in Mindanao since last week.

“Rest assured that we are doing all we can at this point to solve the situation there,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a radio interview over dzRB.

She said the only problem that has complicated the situation was the fact that forces loyal to the faction of former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman Nur Misuari have taken civilians as hostages and used them as human shields.

“We very well know the complication (on the ground). This is why  the operations of our security forces are very calibrated, if only to ensure that there will be no more hostages and casualties as a result of the standoff,” she said.

Over the weekend, the Indonesian government urged Manila to reach a peaceful resolution of the continuing conflict between Misuari’s men and members of the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said their government is concerned with recent developments in the ongoing armed conflict in Zamboanga City.

“As neighbors and as facilitator of the achievement of the final peace agreement in 1996 between the Philippines and the MNLF, Indonesia urged all parties concerned to exercise restraint and ensure the safety and security of civilians,” he said.

“Peaceful solution is the only option that should be taken by both parties,” he said in a statement sent to The STAR by the Indonesian embassy in Manila.

Natalegawa urged both parties to find a peaceful solution to the conflict and stand by the 1996 peace agreement.

“The 1996 final peace agreement is a comprehensive agreement as the foundation for solving problems in the southern Philippines for a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace,” he said.

Natalegawa said Indonesia is always ready, at the request of stakeholders, to contribute to the restoration of normalcy in southern Philippines.

OIC offers help

The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) offered to help resolve the ongoing standoff between government and MNLF forces in Zamboanga City.

“The OIC stands ready to offer all possible assistance to ease the tension and resume the peace process,” the OIC said in a statement yesterday.

“This, to avoid further bloodshed and to allow peaceful resolution to these incidents,” the OIC said. 

“The OIC, the biggest group of Muslim countries, brokered the signing of the final peace agreement between the government and the MNLF in 1996,” it said.

The offer of the OIC to help resolve the ongoing siege in Zamboanga City came in the midst of the cancellation of the 5th Phl-MNLF-OIC tripartite meeting on the review of the provisions of the 1996 peace pact.

The meeting was supposed to be held today in Yogyakarta, Indonesia but had to be called off because of the standoff.

But the OIC urged the two parties concerned to immediately resume the tripartite review process as soon as possible “in order to attend to the remaining unresolved issues that impedes the full implementation of the 1996 final peace agreement to pave the way for a just and durable peace in Mindanao.”

The OIC also stressed it is against any unlawful and violent act that would be detrimental to the attainment of peace in the south.

“The OIC strongly rejects all unlawful acts and expresses its deep concern at the shortcomings that occurred in the peace process which led to the resumption of violence and unlawful acts,” the OIC said.

OIC secretary general Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu called for calm and maximum restraint in the face of the crisis in Zamboanga City.

Ihsanoglu condemned the loss of innocent lives in the ongoing skirmishes that sent thousands of residents scampering for safety. – With Edith Regalado