Remains of MNLF rebel found buried in Zambo City home

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Returning evacuees have discovered the remains of a Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) rebel buried in one of the houses destroyed during the recent siege in this city, police said.

Jul Hassan Halil, who owns the house in Barangay Sta. Barbara, immediately alerted elements of Task Force Zamboanga of his find.

The military coordinated with the police investigation section under Senior Inspector Arlan Delumpines and a funeral parlor to exhume the remains.

Delumpines said the body was buried about a foot deep beside Halil’s house, bearing an MNLF uniform with a tag of “S. Nur.”

The remains of the man, about 5’6” tall, were brought to a local funeral parlor where scene of the crime operatives conducted a post-mortem examination and forensic test to possibly determine his real identity.

Dozens of remains have been recovered since government forces started clearing operations after the siege, and forensic tests were made to determine if one of the dead was MNLF commander Habier Malik.

Malik and about 500 MNLF members identified with their founding chairman Nur Misuari attacked this city last September, triggering more than three weeks of hostilities that left more than 200 rebels killed. At least 287 other guerrillas were captured.

Government forces suffered 24 fatalities and more than a hundred wounded. At least 12 civilians were also killed and 72 others wounded at the height of the siege that displaced more than 100,000 residents.