Thursday, October 23, 2008 MILF leaders join MNLF in peace efforts: Misuari By Ben O. Tesiorna
CLOSE to a thousand Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members have expressed a desire to return to their mother unit, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), after the collapse of the peace negotiations between the MILF and the government.
Moro leader Nur Misuari said about 10 base commanders of the MILF wanted to go back to the MNLF when he visited their camp recently.
He said this is because the MILF commanders could not see any hope in the Philippine-MILF peace talks unlike government’s agreement with the MNLF that is about to be fully implemented once the high-level tripartite meeting between the Philippine government, MNLF, and OIC is finished.
Misuari said even the group of renegade MILF commanders Ameril Umbra Kato and Abdullah Macapaar alias Kumander Bravo are showing signs of non-resistance to MNLF’s effort to entice MILF rebels to return to the MNLF.
Misuari said even the government should welcome this latest development as he assured that MILF rebels who return to MNLF will have to abide by the group’s rules and regulations, especially on the peace efforts.
Misuari said he expects more MILF base commanders to be coming back to the MNLF. He, however, refuse to reveal their identities at the moment for personal reasons.
Misuari is in town to consult with his people in the Davao Region.
Kato’s and Bravo's groups are considered the "backbone" of the MILF due to the number of armed followers they have. More than half of the military force of the MILF belongs to Bravo and Kato.
