Gov't tried to convince Malik to negotiate

COTABATO, Philippines -  The government had repeatedly tried to peacefully convince Ustadz Habier Malik to leave Zamboanga City until the second day of the three-week siege  in the area, but failed due to his demand for a United Nations intervention.

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Mujiv Hataman told The Star Thursday  that he talked to Malik via mobile phone to convince the latter to pull Moro National Liberation Front fighters in the area, but balked when he felt the latter would not agree without UN’s intervention.

He said he knew then it would be difficult to convince Malik to surrender.

“That was his mindset so I did not pursue convincing him anymore. There was really no room for negotiation. It is not true that there was no effort to pacify them and workout out their pull out from Zamboanga City.” Hataman said.

Hataman said even the incumbent vice governor of Sulu, Hadji Sakur Tan, had tried to persuade Malik to leave, but was also discouraged when the latter felt that Malik was unwilling to compromise.

Malik, who is of Tausog descent, is a native of Sulu, born in Panamao town in the second district of the island province.

Soldiers, accompanied by barangay officials, reportedly hoisted the Philippine flag early this week at the center of Malik’s camp in Bitanag area in Talipao town in the first district of Sulu, to show that the government is in control of the bastion of the MNLF’s “Misuari Group.”

Hataman also recalled how a certain Daniel Xavier, claiming to represent the UN, toured Sulu last August and promised P10,000 and a caliber .5.56 M-4 assault rifle for each member of the Moro National Liberation Front  willing to participate in a “peace rally” in Zamboanga City.

Arjun Jain, the chief of the Mindanao office of the United Nation High Commissioner on Refugees, had issued a press communiqué saying there is no “Daniel Xavier” in any UN entity three weeks before the outbreak of the hostilities in Zamboanga City.

“It’s unfair to say that the government did not do anything to peacefully prevent an escalation of the carnage in Zamboanga City,” Hataman said.

Hataman said many of the followers of Malik who had surrendered said  they were duped into proceeding to Zamboanga City for a peaceful gathering, but ended fighting government forces instead.

The director of the ARMM police, Chief Supt. Noel Delos Reyes, said charges are now being readied against Misuari by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

“He is now being tracked down under the 'hot pursuit' law-enforcement doctrine. Even without criminal charges against him yet, he can be arrested under that principle,” Delos Reyes pointed out.

Delos Reyes said apart from the three-day hostilities instigated by the Abu Sayyaf in Lamitan City while Malik’s group was engaged in firefights with soldiers, all of the autonomous region’s 116 towns remained peaceful.