Misuari seeks court nod to attend OIC meet

MANILA, Philippines — Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founder and chairman Nur Misuari has asked the Sandiganbayan to allow him to leave the country to attend the 45th Foreign Ministers meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Bangladesh from May 2 to 10.

Misuari said the Bangladesh government and OIC General Secretariat invited him as MNLF chair. “The MNLF enjoys an observer status with the OIC as the sole representative of the Bangsamoro people,” Misuari’s motion read.

He said he is  “expected” to deliver a speech on developments in the implementation of the 1996 peace agreement signed by the Philippine government and MNLF. 

Misuari gave assurance that he would return to the country and present himself before the court within 10 days upon his arrival.

He was charged with three counts each of graft and malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents before the anti-graft court’s third division in connection with the alleged anomalous procurement of educational materials and kits for public schools in 2000 and 2001 amounting to P115.2 million when he was governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The Office of the Ombudsman said Misuari and his co-accused falsified disbursement vouchers, purchase orders, canvass reports, sales invoices, delivery receipts and other supporting documents to make it appear that the transactions were above board.

None of the purchased materials were delivered, the ombudsman said.

In a resolution issued on Dec. 6, 2017, the Sandiganbayan ordered the suspension of Misuari’s trial to allow another preliminary investigation. He claimed he was not given the opportunity to answer the complaints against him.

Misuari was also charged with rebellion and crime against humanity before the Pasig City regional trial court over the Zamboanga siege in 2013, which left more than 100 people dead and 120,000 displaced.