Zamboanga police chief not abducted – PNP official

MANILA, Philippines–As it turned out, the police chief of Zamboanga City who was earlier said to have been seized by members of the Moro National Liberation Front was not really abducted, but only negotiated for the surrender of several guerrillas, a Philippine National Police official said.

Philippine Army soldiers fire a 60mm mortar towards the position of MNLF loyal to Misuari where they camp out with their hostages in Barangay Sta. Barbara in Zamboanga City. EDWIN BACASMAS

In a phone interview, Chief Superintendent Juanito Vano Jr., Region IX police director, told INQUIRER.net that Senior Superintendent Jose Chiquito Malayo, the police chief of Zamboanga City only facilitated the surrender of 27 MNLF rebels.

“Hindi sya inabduct. Sya nagpa-surrender [ng mga MNLF] . . . OK na si Malayo (He was not abducted. He convinced the MNLF rebels to surrender…Malayo is now OK),” Vano said.

Senior Superintendent Theodore Sindac, PNP-Public Information Office chief, earlier said Malayo was abducted “at gun point” in Barangay (village) Mampang around 11 a.m. while he was negotiating for the release of civilian hostages.

In a separate advisory, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas II said “I am pleased to inform you that Zambo[anga] City director, Senior Superintendent Chiquito Malayo has successfully convinced . . . MNLF fighters to come into the fold of the law.”

Roxas, however, said the number of rebels who surrendered was only 23.