By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries
ZAMBOANGA CITY, SOUTHERN
PHILLIPINES (ANS) -- A Catholic
priest and a Protestant pastor are said to be among the “hostages” of the
Moro National Liberation Front who are engaged in a standoff with
government forces in Zamboanga City, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of
the Philippines (CBCP) said Tuesday.
According to GMA News (www.gmanetwork.com), the CBCP said Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, spokesman of the Philippine National Police Regional Office 9, identified the priest as Fr. Michael Ufana of St. Joseph Parish.
“Ufana was reportedly with his parents who were celebrating their
wedding anniversary yesterday when the rebels took them in Barangay Sta.
Catalina,” the CBCP said on its news site, citing information from Huesca.
A separate report on dzBB radio Tuesday night said the MNLF is also
holding his parents and sister hostage.
The CBCP quoted Zamboanga Archdiocese administrator Msgr. Crisologo
Manongas as saying Ufana was trapped in the standoff.
“All the time they were there until eventually their house was forced
open by the MNLF and the rebels used it as a place where they put their
guns,” Manongas said.
Manongas said they have been praying for the safety of the hostages and
an end to the violence.
“We are praying. That is all we can do for now because we have to leave
the rest to the authorities. We are also helping in distribution of food
to those stranded in the evacuation centers,” he said.
According to an ANS correspondent based in the area, “A pastor called a
radio station this morning and secretly informed the station he is one of
the hostages, but the communication was cut off. I could not write the
story straight at the moment because of the ongoing crossfire.”
In eight evacuation centers, over 9,000 residents are seeking temporary
shelter amid the continuing standoff between government forces and Moro
National Liberation Front (MNLF) fighters loyal to founding chairman Nur
Misuari.
Several areas in Zamboanga City have become virtual ghost towns on
Tuesday, September 10, as government troops continue to choke MNLF
positions on the second day of the siege that left four people dead and at
least a dozen wounded.
As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, there were still about 170 residents being held
hostage by the MNLF. The rebel group released five hostages, one adult and
four children, earlier in the day at Barangay Talon-Talon following
negotiations initiated by the police.
The Philippine Information Agency Western Mindanao pegged the number of
evacuees as of Tuesday noon at 9,546, but authorities expect the number to
swell.
The ANS correspondent who has asked relief agencies to help with the
situation and whose name I am withholding for security reasons, is on the
spot and is available for interviews. Just call him at 63
0999-8824012.
See all ASSIST News articles
at www.assistnews.net
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