Renegade Muslim leader Nur Misuari was deported yesterday from Malaysia and immediately flown to the heavily secured Fort Sto. Domingo detention center in Sta. Rosa, Laguna originally meant for deposed President Joseph Estrada.
Seven other followers of Misuari were also flown back to Manila by Malaysian authorities, six of them to be detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig. His closest aide accompanied him to Laguna.
Philippine government officials led by Presidential Adviser for Mindanao Affairs Jesus Dureza and police Director Lucas Managuelod fetched Misuari from Kuala Lumpur where he was jailed for six weeks following his arrest in Sabah state on Nov. 24 for illegal entry.
A military C-130 cargo plane, which picked up Misuari and aide Abu Harris Osman from the Royal Malaysian Air Force Base in Kuala Lumpur, arrived at the Fernando Air Base in Lipa City in Batangas at about 1:45 p.m.
Misuari and Osman were flown later by helicopter to Fort Sto. Domingo, a training camp of the PNP’s Special Action Force in Sta. Rosa. They will be confined in the same jailhouse where Estrada and his son former San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada were held prior to their transfer to the state-run Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City in May last year.
The six other Misuari followers — Bakil Anay Harur, Johan Sawadjaan Sanzibar, Akil Abdurahman Abdur, Uddin Esguerra Ishmael, Gamar bin Abdul Razak and Omar bin Abdullah — were turned over to a Philippine National Police (PNP) delegation headed by Director Nestorio Gualberto, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
The Philippine Air Force Fokker plane used by Gualberto’s group for the mission landed at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
The departure of Gualberto’s group for Kuala Lumpur was kept under wraps that only a handful of ranking PNP officials knew about it.
The 60-year-old former governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and ex-chairman of the secessionist rebel group Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) would be prosecuted for the capital offense of rebellion arising from a failed attempt to hold on to power last Nov. 19 in Sulu.
Administrative cases have also been leveled against him.
Misuari’s lawyer Elly Pamatong said his client will plead not guilty to the charges.
"If there’s an impartial trial, I am sure I can acquit my client," Pamatong said, claiming that soldiers provoked the violence.
The short-lived uprising, involving some 600 heavily armed MNLF fighters who assaulted a number of military outposts in Jolo, Sulu and Zamboanga City, left some 100 people dead, mostly MNLF members.
The attacks were obviously pulled off to thwart ARMM elections meant to choose Misuari’s successor.
Police filed the rebellion charges against Misuari and his men before the regional trial court (RTC) in Jolo. If found guilty, Misuari could face up to 20 years imprisonment.
The MNLF forged a peace treaty with the government in 1996, paving the way for the creation of the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development previously headed by Misuari.
RTC Judge Abdul Wahid Alpha has issued a warrant of arrest for Misuari along with Army integree Lt. Papa Jalaide, Commander Pande Sali Uris, Buddin Sarapuddin, Abu Sayyaf leaders Radulan Sahiron, Ghalib Andang, former councilor Wahid Sali, Abraham Joel and some John Does.
The court has also issued an arrest order for Julhambri Misuari, a nephew of the former ARMM governor, who allegedly led the attack by some 100 so-called Misuari Renegade Group in Cabatangan complex in Zamboanga City on Nov. 27 and held some villagers hostage, among them young children and the elderly.
Former MNLF spokesman Ibrahim Iribani, who now works for the government, said Misuari has lost his clout to rally his MNLF supporters.
Iribani, who was instrumental in the Zamboanga hostage drama staged by Misuari’s rabid followers, said MNLF members have recognized the new ARMM leadership of newly installed Gov. Parouk Hussin.
"It cannot be denied that Nur was so popular until 1996 among Muslims in Mindanao, most especially during the peace talk. But things are different now because of the new ARMM and MNLF leadership," Iribani said.
The Philippine government tried to delay Misuari’s deportation fearing that his trial could spark another wave of violence by his followers.
Misuari also vainly sought political asylum in a third country, but Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad vowed that they would hand him over only to the Philippines.
Justifying the secrecy of the deportation, Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said government intelligence officials feared that some quarters were out to cause harm to Misuari.
"The full force of the police and the military has been mobilized against elements which might want to harm Mr. Misuari," Tiglao said.
He said the people of Zamboanga City were particularly mad at Misuari over the hostage-taking staged by his men following his arrest in Sabah.
Tiglao said the President has designated PNP chief Director General Leandro Mendoza as official custodian of Misuari.
Tiglao admitted, however, that the government will give preferential treatment to Misuari in recognition of his important contributions to the forging of the 1996 peace accord.
However, Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes downplayed the possibility that remnants of Misuari’s followers will spark another uprising.
Reyes said the MNLF members have realized the futility of taking up arms against the government and have recognized the leadership of Hussin.
"We will show that the ARMM, properly managed, can run smoothly and can deliver basic services and that there’s no need for them to support any fight against the government," Reyes stressed.
He also ruled out the need to deploy additional forces in Luzon and Metro Manila in view of the presence of Misuari in the area.
Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan said the Armed Forces was prepared for any eventuality arising from Misuari’s deportation.
For his part, Senate President Franklin Drilon said Misuari should be made to account for public funds released to the ARMM but misappropriated by him.
"He should really be brought here to face the music, like any other citizen who transgressed the law," Drilon said.
Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. said Misuari’s case offered the government a chance to show its "ultimate sovereignty."
In another development, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) planned to call a briefing for ambassadors of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to explain the deportation of Misuari.
Vice President and concurrent Foreign Affairs Secretary Teofisto Guingona Jr. said they also intend to send communications to the OIC envoys regarding the issue.
Ambassadors of the eight OIC-member states, six of which maintain embassies in Manila, would be invited to attend the briefing. The six countries are Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh and Libya. The two others are Somalia and Senegal.
"We will explain to all OIC-member countries the background (of Misuari’s case) and justify this action," Guingona said.
"We are committed to apply justice equally," he stressed. — Jaime Laude, Marichu Villanueva, Delon Porcalla, Aurea Calica, Delon Porcalla, Rey Arquiza, Pia Lee-Brago