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By Angelo S. Samonte, Reporter
Malacañang hopes that the case filed against
Mayor Alvarez Isnaji of Indanan, Sulu, will not affect the
relationship between the government and the Moro National Liberation
Front (MNLF) particularly the ongoing tripartite review of the 1996
peace agreement.
“We are confident that the MNLF and non-MNLF
members will look at this case based on evidence and understand that
this is the normal course of things and due process will be given to
the Isnajis. He may have been implicated but he will be presumed
innocent unless proven otherwise by a competent court. If there’s
no strong evidence against him, the case will be dismissed,” Press
Secretary Jesus Dureza said.
Dureza said that the filing of charges against
Isnaji and his son might have some implications on the ongoing
review because Isnaji is a member of an MNLF committee.
“Isnaji is a stalwart of the review process
and he is a member of six-man unification committee,” Dureza
referring to the ongoing tripartite review of the agreement.
Isnaji is one of key leaders of the MNLF and
part of the executive council, Dureza said. He is a member of the
transitional committee with five others to undertake unification of
MNLF in Tripoli, Libya.
“He is a high ranking MNLF official and mayor
of Indanan but his rank is irrelevant because evidence will dictate
the course on how we will proceed,” he added.
Another concern is the upcoming Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) polls and Dureza admitted that the
ongoing military operations in Sulu may affect peace and order.
Isnaji is one of the contenders for the ARMM
gubernatorial post.
“Armed conflict disturbs operations of one
area’s elections. Military operations will be adversely affecting
the poll one way or another. We hope these operations will be
terminated so we can start normalizing the area,” he said.
It is too early to assume that Isnaji’s rivals
are just politicizing the abduction of ABS-CBN broadcaster Ces
Drilon and her team, Dureza said.
“The presentation of the PNP will debunk this
accusation. Whether it will not be sufficient or not, it will go to
normal court process and will have to depend on the assessment of
the inquest officer,” he said.
There’s also a possibility that prominent Sulu
politicians may also be included in the charges if there’s enough
evidence implicating them in Drilon’s kidnapping, he added.
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