Confusion in Mindanao

Despite the danger of escalating tensions towards full-scale war, certain shady individuals are goading both parties enmeshed in the hostilities and appear to be the ones who organized the hostage-taking as well as the burning of entire villages in Zamboanga.

Captured persons alleged to be members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) confessed to interrogators that they were not ordered to participate in a war.

Before jumping off from Basilan into Zamboanga-bound bancas (small sea vessels commonly used by fishermen), they were told to support the prayer rally - educational assembly or teach-in against the pork barrel at the EDSA Shrine in Ortigas by holding a similar rally in Zamboanga City.

For the task, they were given an inordinate amount of cash and upon boarding the bancas, they were issued firearms one for each rallyist.

While en route to Zamboanga, over sea waters they were hailed and shot at by Philippine Navy elements and were forced to surrender. The story above they told their captors does not tally with the current tale that Commander Habier Malik mobilized them for all-out war or jihad against the infidel Philippine Government and their so-called sworn enemies - brother Muslims in the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

A number of names of people heretofore unheard of recently in the media to be parties to the conflict came up during the interrogations. Leaders of the MNLF who received the same information from the supposed rallyists vs. pork barrel are now confused as to how the situation in Zamboanga came to be. And why they are at the receiving end of the blame, when it appears that the active involvement of certain persons without any relevant connection to MNLF and the Islamic cause, effectively plunged the forty year old Moro liberation movement into the quagmire.

The question now is that while there is battle raging in Zamboanga, two opposing parties are shooting each other to death, in the end who is going to benefit?

Furthermore, while the consensus among many quarters and the lament of the MNLF is to reach a peaceful accord with government, why did the occupant of the house by the Pasig River come over to Zamboanga and warned of the use of more force if the MNLF does not surrender and suffer the consequences of their supposed crimes?  What if the MNLF was simply trapped into filling a role that was painstakingly defined and tailored-fit for them for the aggrandizement of certain ambitious, devious persons?

The conclusion is much awaited.