Bullit Marquez/Associated Press
Thousands of villagers were
camped out at a stadium to flee the fighting between Philippine
government forces and Muslim rebels on Saturday in Zamboanga City.
MANILA — The top civilian and military leadership in the Philippines met
in an embattled southern city on Saturday to discuss strategies for
dealing with some of the most serious violence to strike the country in
years.
President Benigno S. Aquino III arrived in Zamboanga City on Friday,
with one of his escort helicopters taking small-arms fire as he landed,
to coordinate the national government’s response to a crisis that has
killed at least 55 people, displaced more than 62,000 and crippled a
once peaceful trading enclave.
The crisis began early Monday morning when several hundred armed men
from the Moro National Liberation Front landed by boat in Zamboanga City
and tried to raise their flag over City Hall and declare independence
from the national government, according to the police.
When police officers and the military tried to stop them, the insurgents
took hostages in several seaside neighborhoods and have since been in a
standoff with government forces. Rebel leaders have said that their
march to City Hall was peaceful and they were attacked by the military
and had to defend themselves.
On Saturday, Zamboanga City’s mayor, Beng Climaco, said in an emotional
statement during an afternoon news conference that she had turned over
management of the crisis to national officials.
“The spate of events that unfolded and continue to unfold are very heartbreaking and upsetting,” she said.
Saturday’s meeting in the embattled city included the top civilian and
military leadership of the country. In addition to Mr. Aquino attendees
included Vice President Jejomar Binay, the secretary of national
defense, Voltaire Gazmin, and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.
Mr. Roxas told reporters after the meeting that the military’s strategy
had been to contain the rebels to the affected neighborhoods and prevent
the violence from spreading to other parts of the city. That has been
accomplished, he said, and though he declined to offer operational
details he said the military was now trying to clear the rebels out of
the neighborhoods by retaking ground.
Despite earlier reports of a cease-fire, military officials at
Saturday’s news conference said they were pressing the fight against the
rebels. This included the limited use of mortars to shell rebel-held
areas.
“Regarding a cease-fire, we have not received any orders for that,” said
Ramon Zagala, a military spokesman. “We are continuing our operations.”
As of Saturday afternoon, three civilians had been killed in the
fighting and 28 wounded, officials said. In addition, three policemen
had been killed and 11 injured, while two military personnel were killed
and 38 wounded.
Mr. Roxas said 21 rebel bodies had been recovered and 26 others were
also reported killed. Some of the bodies were burned in fires that raged
throughout the rebel areas, he said. Military officials estimate that
about 100 rebels remain in the area.
The fighting has devastated Zamboanga City, a relatively prosperous and
peaceful enclave in the impoverished and war-torn southern Philippines.
More than 400 homes in the rebel areas have been burned and major
sections of the city are impassable. The airport has been closed for
five days, and commercial ships have been asked to move away from the
port area for security reasons.
“The entire city is virtually isolated from the world,” said Mayor
Climaco. “Our airports, seaports are closed, classes, work suspended,”
she said.
“Innocent lives have been lost, properties have been damaged and our economy paralyzed,” she added.
The Moro National Liberation Front signed a peace deal with the
Philippine government in 1996 but many of its members retained their
weapons. Leaders of the group have said a peace deal last year with a
rival group, the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front, has undercut the
original peace agreement.
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