MILF peace caravan in Zambo City blocked

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Tension broke out here after supporters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) insisted on holding a peace caravan without a permit from the local government yesterday.

The incident prompted authorities to place the city under alert and suspend classes.

Marine soldiers and members of the city government security forces were deployed to secure the city hall.

Police officers from the provincial and city public safety company blocked at least 10 pickup trucks in Ipil and R.T Lim towns, both in Zamboanga Sibugay province, which were heading for this city for the peace caravan.

Taha Baranda, who claimed to be MILF’s political affairs officer, said they were expecting members of civil society group Mindanao Peace Alliance from different areas in Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay to join them.

Baranda told a local radio network that the caravan would go around the city and return to their respective areas.

Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said the group have no permit for the caravan. She advised them to hold the rally in their respective community. 

Superintendent Ariel Huesca, chief of the public safety company, led his men in blocking the MILF caravan along the border of the city and Tungawan town, Zamboanga Sibugay.

City school division superintendent Pedro Melchor Natividad said he did not receive orders from Salazar to suspend classes, but was prompted to do so as parents started arriving to pick up their children.