Attacks will not affect talks with Moros: Official
Attacks will not affect talks with Moros: Official
MANILA (AFP): Bomb attacks by Moro rebels on Christian targets
in the southern Philippines will "have no effect" on the
Philippine government's peace negotiations with the main Moslem
insurgent group, an official said yesterday.
"Those bombings have no effect on our peace talks with the
Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)," said chief government
negotiator Manuel Yan in a DZXL radio interview.
Three bombs targeting Catholic churches injured three people
on Sunday and two were found at a public market yesterday in
Zamboanga city, a week after peace talks between Manila and the
MNLF there ended in deadlock.
"It (bombings) has no relation to the peace talks but I know
that (people) from Zamboanga city and the province of Zamboanga
del Sur do not wish to be a part of the area of autonomy," under
the Moslems, Yan said.
Zamboanga city and the province of Zamboanga del Sur were
among the majority of the 14 provinces and nine cities whose
residents are against proposals to be included in a proposed
Moslem autonomous region demanded by the MNLF.
President Fidel Ramos has ordered the military and the police
to "pursue" the suspects, Executive Secretary Ruben Torres told
reporters. "These acts of terrorism cannot be condoned," he
added.
Meanwhile, tensions eased in the largely Catholic city of
Zamboanga later yesterday as residents resumed their daily
activities following the bombings, radio reports said, although
police said they had yet to make any arrests.
Businesses and schools remained open, although some children
were told by their parents not to go to school for fear of
further attacks.
A grenade was thrown at a cathedral in the city before the
first Sunday mass could take place, while the second bomb, thrown
at another church by motorcycle-riding men while mass was going
on, injured three people. Police later recovered an unexploded
grenade inside the church.
Early yesterday, police combed the city's main public market
after two grenades were found and disarmed.
In a radio interview, Zamboanga city police director
Superintendent Demetrio Maylas told DZXL they had the name of a
Moslem as a possible suspect behind the bombings but were
checking on his links with Moro rebel groups.
Police are blaming the Moslem fundamentalist group Abu Sayyaf.
Observers said the attacks are attempts to create panic and
divide the Catholic majority and the Moslem minority here.
Meanwhile, a powerful homemade bomb exploded in the town
square of Isabela in Basilan late Sunday.
Col. Bernardito Baul, spokesman of the military's regional
command said in a radio interview that there were no injuries
since the plaza was deserted at that hour.