Philippine Military Put Up P1-M bounty for MNLF Commander Ustadz Habier Malik in Sulu

The Philippine Star 04/19/2007

Manila--The Philippine military is offering a P1-million reward for the capture of National Liberation Front (MNLF) commander Ustadz Habier Malik who has been leading clashes against government troops in Sulu for a week now.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon said Malik, who has some 300 to 500 armed followers, has joined the Abu Sayyaf terrorists, the target of a separate massive military offensive.

"We should be very careful about this because definitely there is a group that would try to exploit the situation, at least the Abu Sayyaf," he said.

"Let us be very clear," he said. "This is not an operation against the MNLF. This is an operation against Habier Malik so that he will be made to answer for his criminal liabilities, including the death of a child."

Meanwhile, to avoid any contact with Malik, former governor Nur Misuari of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has asked his police custodians to hold him incommunicado in a rented house in Quezon City.

The former MNLF chairman, who is facing rebellion charges in court, is under house arrest in New Manila, Quezon City after being taken out of a high security jail in Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Chief Superintendent Leo Santiago, Special Action Force commander told ABS-CBN News that Misuari wants to distance himself from the fighting in Sulu.

Misuari has a cell phone and can talk to anybody he wants to contact, he added. Misuari is running for governor of Sulu in the May 14 elections.

Malik’s band clashed with troops after his men shelled a Marine base near Panamao, Sulu last Friday, killing two Marines and a civilian.

The military has yet to determine Malik’s reason for the attack.

On the other hand, Jesus Dureza, presidential adviser on the peace process, said Malik should be treated like a common criminal after he violated the 1996 peace treaty.

"He took himself outside of the ambit of the peace process when he started attacking military camps in Sulu last week," he said.

"We are calling on the MNLF leadership to isolate Malik and help bring him swiftly to justice," he told ABS CBN News.com.

Malik came into the limelight last February when he detained Marine Maj. Gen. Mohammed Ben Dolorfino, National Capital Region Command chief, and 19 other military and defense officials for two days in his camp in Sulu.

He demanded more benefits under the 1996 peace accord with the government in exchange for the freedom of Dolorfino and the other military officials.


The government has brushed aside an appeal from the Organization of the Islamic Conference for a truce with Malik’s band, who last week fired mortar rounds on two Marine camps and houses on Jolo island.

The attack has provoked fierce clashes that have killed at least 21 people —three Marines, 17 rebels and a child —and displaced more than 50,000 people.

Troops captured Malik’s two camps but he was able to escape, along with some of his men.

The 57-member OIC has been trying to salvage the 1996 agreement, but the government has not yet decided whether Misuari would be allowed to attend a tripartite meeting set for July to review the peace pact. — Roel Pareño, James Mananghaya, Perseus Echeminada, John Unson, AP