Senate invites Zambo execs to probe on MNLF siege

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - – The Senate has invited city councilors to an inquiry tomorrow into the bloody three-week siege by Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) rebels last September.

Councilor Benjamin Guingona IV said the Senate’s joint committees on national defense and security, and peace and reconciliation would conduct the inquiry.

“The inquiry aims to find out the motive of the attack to prevent similar attacks in the future,” Guingona said.

The city government, through a resolution filed by councilor Rommel Agan, requested the Senate inquiry.

MNLF rebels loyal to founding chairman Nur Misuari attacked Zamboanga City last Sept. 9, leaving at least 244 people dead, displacing 118,819 residents, and destroying more than 10,000 houses and structures in the barangays of Mariki, Rio Hondo, Sta. Barbara, Sta. Catalina, and Talon-Talon, all located near the city hall and the commercial district.

Government forces captured nearly 300 followers of Misuari, alleged to have masterminded the attack.

Misuari is facing charges of rebellion and violation of international humanitarian law.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, who acted on the city officials’ request, said a thorough probe would prevent similar violent attacks in the future.

Misuari and his followers staged a similar attack in the city’s Cabatangan area in November 2001.

“Hopefully, there will be revelations that will ferret the truth (about) the siege and will help the Senate enact law that will prevent similar incidents from happening again,” said Guingona, who had supervised the stress and trauma debriefing of dozens of civilian hostages at the height of the conflict.

The city government is still attending to hundreds of displaced families housed in evacuation centers, including the sports complex, even as hundreds more have been relocated to bunkhouses.

The city government is carrying out the P3.4-billion rehabilitation program approved by President Aquino for the areas devastated by the MNLF siege.