Freedom for Misuari?
WHERE does the government really stand on the issue of the
release of Moro National Liberation Front chairman Nur Misuari?
While Malacañang insists that it will not intervene in the
rebellion case against Misuari out of respect for the
independence of the judiciary, it is obvious that the Palace
is showing leniency toward the legendary MNLF chieftain.
First, Misuari last February was allowed by a Makati Regional
Trial Court judge to go on a medical furlough and treated at
the St. Luke Medical Center for an indefinite period of time.
Then, the same judge the other week granted his request to be
placed under house arrest. He is now staying in a rented house
at the New Manila subdivision in San Juan.
The court order was issued a few days before the arrival of a
high-level fact-finding mission of the influential
Organization of the Islamic Conference in the country to
assess the implementation of the peace agreement that the
government and the MNLF signed on Sept. 2, 1996.
The OIC fact-finding mission came after President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo went on a state visit to Saudi Arabia in
which she asked King Abdullah for standby supply of oil and
sought his support for the long-standing Philippine bid for an
observer seat in the OIC.
The OIC team, led by Sayed Kassem El-Masry, in its dialog with
Philippine officials, openly called on the government to free
Misuari. It wanted him to participate in a meeting among
Philippine government, MNLF and OIC representatives to be held
in Jeddah that will coincide with the 10th anniversary of the
peace accord.
In a joint communiqué, the government and the OIC mission
declared that “the early resolution of the pending case
against chairman Nur Misuari within the framework of the
Philippine judicial process will have a positive effect in the
common effort to bring peace and development in Mindanao.” The
OIC team “expressed the hope that chairman Nur Misuari will be
able to participate in the proposed tripartite meeting.”
Interviewed by media the other day, Misuari sounded upbeat
about being released. He is looking forward to his
participation in the Jeddah meeting.
This has put the government in a predicament. It has already
bent over backwards in the handling of the Misuari case to
placate the OIC. If the government bars Misuari from leaving
the country and from taking part in the Jeddah meeting, it
will be seen as an affront by the OIC. Of course, the
government does not wish to offend the OIC. But if Misuari is
allowed to go to Jeddah, how will the government justify it?
Will Misuari be granted bail by the court? Which is
questionable because he is charged with a nonbailable
rebellion case. Or will the rebellion case against him be
dismissed? Abangan.
