Captured Zambo police chief released by MNLF

MANILA, Philippines - Gunmen of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) yesterday seized the chief of police of Zamboanga City, hours after government forces recovered more than 100 hostages from the rebels.

Officials said Senior Superintendent Jose Chiquito Malayo, acting chief of police of Zamboanga City, along with his driver and a security aide were snatched by armed men while at sitio Baktos, barangay Talon-Talon.

Hours later, Malayo emerged unharmed, bringing along with him some 23 rebels who surrendered.

Malayo and two of his men were earlier taken hostage just hours after government forces rescued some 100 people used as human shields by the rebels since the hostilities broke out on Sept. 9.

Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, acting Armed Forces of the Philippines-Public Information Office (AFP-PAO) chief, said Malayo was closely monitoring the security operations in the area when the gunmen seized him and two of his men.

Cabunoc said Malayo and his men were forced to board a speedboat towards Tictabon island.

Malayo left police headquarters to check on the reported presence of rebels in the area when they were intercepted and cornered by the gunmen.

Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II said Malayo was trying to negotiate the surrender of a group of MNLF rebels when he found himself surrounded by the gunmen.

Malayo was able to convince his captors to go with him and surrender, Roxas said.

“I am pleased to inform you that Zamboanga City (police) director Malayo has successfully convinced 23 MNLF fighters to come into the fold of the law,” Roxas said.

Malayo and the rebels were fetched by a coaster  and a police armored vehicle and brought to the headquarters of the Western Mindanao Command, officials said.

Malayo briefly told newsmen that he managed to negotiate with a certain Untong of the MNLF which led him to convince the 23 rebels who held him hostage.

“They (rebels) just wanted to surrender and return to their camp,” he said.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Deputy Director General Felipe Roxas Jr. added Malayo went to the area to follow up reports of an encounter with government forces where a rebel was killed and three others were captured.

He said after the firefight, Malayo took the opportunity to deal with other rebels who were already cornered and tried to negotiate with them to surrender.

However, Malayo found himself surrounded by the rebels and taken hostage at gunpoint.

Picking the targets

Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, designated military spokesman for the ground operations in Zamboanga City, said most of the civilians taken by the rebels as human shields for nine days have been rescued. 

Troops rescued 36 people during the offensive near the Lustre area. At least 64 hostages were also rescued before dawn yesterday in Lustre and 13 others before noon.

One of the rebels who pretended to be among the hostages was positively identified by the villagers and promptly arrested.

Cabunoc added a total of 188 hostages were rescued, mostly from barangay Sta. Barbara, the focus of the government offensive.

Initial reports also said the rebels now have only 30 people hostage.

Cabunoc revealed the troops, using the latest military hardware, were able to neutralize the gunmen even with their human shields.

“Our troops involved in the operations successfully picked their targets despite them using their hostages as human shields,” he said.

Zagala added at least 30 rebels were confirmed killed within the past 24 hours of operations since Monday.

Three soldiers, however, were also killed during the intense firefight to retake the six coastal villages occupied by the rebels, he said.

The rebel fatality now stands at 121 with 26 captured. On the government side, the fatalities increased to nine with 81 wounded.

 The military said 90 people have died and 70,000 residents been displaced since the standoff in Zamboanga began more than a week ago when hundreds of MNLF gunmen loyal to Nur Misuari and commanded by Malik occupied six coastal villages of the city. – With Roel Pareño, Cecille Suerte Felipe, AP