By Jocelyn
P. Alvarez
ZAMBOANGA
CITY
- President Benigno
S. Aquino III visits Zambanga City today to assess the crisis that Zamboanga is
facing.
President Aquino said his
presence here is a show that the military is on top of the situation and that the
government forces are doing everything to contain the Moro National Liberation
Front (MNLF) that is sowing terror in the city for five days now.
In his message, PNoy assures that there will be enough food and
medicines for the displaced residents totaling more than 23,000 of whom over
14,000 are sheltered at the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex/grandstand,
one of the evacuation centers set up in the city.
The president also brought
with him almost a thousand boxes of assorted goodies like biscuits, candies and
chocolates for the children at the evacuation centers.
During his press
conference at the Western Mindanao Command in upper Calarian, President Aquino
apologizes to the Zamboangueños as he acknowledged that the present crisis
besetting the city is taking long to resolve because “the government can’t rush
into the situation.”
“As much as possible we prevent
unnecessary lose of blood,” PNoy said.
The President assured the
restless Zamboangueños: “not only do we have sufficient forces but we have
overwhelming forces, not only in terms of numbers but also in terms of
equipment.”
The President said he has
already asked Justice Secretary Leila De Lima to look into possible charges
against Nur Misuari, the founder and chairman of the MNLF who is believed to be
behind all these.
“Inatasan ko na si
Secretary De Lima na tingnan kung ano-ano ang pwedeng ikaso kay Nur Misuari
(I’ve already ordered Secretary De Lima to look into this and file appropriate
charges against Misuari).”
Meanwhile, as PNoy press conference
was ongoing, shooting between the military and the MNLF continued at the other
side of town and 30 minutes after a fire broke out in Sta Catalina. This was
followed by another two fire incidents in two separate nearby areas - Sta
Barbara and Rio Hondo.
Eight fire incidents were
recorded since the start of gun battle in the city last Monday. (PIA9)