Cops blow up Nur's house; MNLF leader missing

MANILA, Philippines - Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari was not found in his house in Zamboanga City after police blasted it with exposives Friday morning.

Police are conducting a manhunt for the rebel leader who faces rebellion charges for allegedly orchestrating an attack on coastal villages in Zamboanga, leading to a 20-day standoff with government forces last month.

Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, Western Mindanao police spokesman, said they served a search warrant on Misuari's house in Barangay San Roque.

Huesca said troops decided to use explosives on the house when no one responded to them.  He declined to  elaborate.

"I cannot elaborate for security reasons," he said in a radio interview.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Region 9 had said Misuari and at least 80 of his followers including commander Habier Malik violated International Humanitarian Law for the Zamboanga City siege which started September 9.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin declared the end of the standoff last September 28 as the armed forces continue clearing the areas of hidden explosives.

Loud explosion

In Zamboanga City, vVillagers were awakened by a loud explosion when police-led forces raided Friday dawn  Misuari's house at  Barangay San Roque, located north of the city.

The raiding police forces, backed by military troops, surrounded the Misuari compound which is surrounded by  high concrete fence and steel gate  at sitio Pasay about 3 a.m. to serve the search warrant, according to Huesca.

However, the police forces were forced to use a water bomb  to gain entry after no one from inside the compound responded to the raiding forces.

The blast caused mild panic among the residents but police assured them that the explosion was part of the police operations to gaining entry to the compound to search for evidence against Misuari.

Huesca said the raiding forces found no occupant inside the compound which was adjacent to the creek and believed the area was abandoned at the height of the attempted siege by the Misuari faction of the MNLF.

“What we were doing here was part of the legal offensive to build more cases against Mr. Nur Misuari,” Huesca said.

He said the legal action was also in response to the appeal of City Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar to ensure that the Cabatangan siege in November 2001 by Misuari will not be repeated where the cases against the erstwhile leader was dropped due to insufficient evidence.

During the search, Huesca said the police forces were trying to gather whatever documents, explosives and firearms in the house of Misuari to bolster their case.

Police Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) recovered sacks of documents which will be examined.

Police also apprehended two suspected MNLF members who were outside the compound after they were monitored moving suspiciously.

The police recovered from the two suspects their MNLF identification cards.