Southeast Asian neighbors agree to deport Misuari

Southeast Asian neighbors agree to deport Misuari

Reuters, Manila

Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines have agreed that Philippine Moro rebel leader Nur Misuari should be returned to Manila to stand trial, officials said on Friday.

But Manila has been asked to consider allowing him to seek asylum overseas, they said.

A joint communique by foreign ministers of the three nations, issued late on Thursday, said Malaysia would turn Misuari over to the Philippines, where he faces charges of rebellion.

The foreign ministers of Indonesia and Malaysia told a news conference on Friday they had explored the possibility of Misuari being sent to a third country, but finally accepted Manila's view that he had to return to stand trial.

Newspapers had said Misuari could be given political asylum in Libya or any other nation belonging to the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) group.

But the Philippines demanded that he be sent home for trial and the agreement with Indonesia and Malaysia, both members of the OIC, signals the Islamic group would not object.

"On the case surrounding Professor Nur Misuari, we recognize the bilateral commitment of Malaysia to deport Professor Misuari back to the Philippines and that the case is essentially for the Philippine justice system to resolve," Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda told the news conference.

"However, we have conveyed to the Philippines the interest of the Organization of Islamic Conference to see that Misuari be granted sanctuary in a third country on humanitarian grounds," he added.

"From our discussions, including with the President, (President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) last night, the Philippines is expecting that Misuari be sent back to the Philippines and face trial according to the judicial system of the Philippines," Hassan said.

Hassan and Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar arrived in Manila on Thursday to discuss the fate of Misuari, detained in Malaysia for illegal entry.

Indonesia and Malaysia are two of the eight OIC nations which helped mediate a peace deal between the largely Roman Catholic Philippines and Misuari's Moro National Liberation Front in 1996.

Misuari reneged on the deal when the government insisted on holding elections for the post in November and backed a rival candidate. The rival, Parouk Hussin, was declared elected as the Philippine National Security Adviser Roilo Golez has said Misuari will likely be sent to the Philippines by mid-January.