ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Nur Misuari, the founding chair of the Moro National Liberation Front, is very much alive and enjoying his new found love, a young wife.
This after stories of Misuari being dead spread in social media, particularly Facebook.
Habib Hashim Mudjahab, chair of the MNLF’s Islamic Command Council, has told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that Misuari is alive and is with a new wife.
“At 79 years old, Misuari is alive and kicking and very much in love with his new wife, a 19-year-old college student,” Mudjahab told the Inquirer by phone.
“He is very much alive and in full control of the MNLF forces on the ground. His exact location cannot be disclosed for his own personal security, but he is still somewhere in Sulu,” Mudjahab added.
Col. Allan Arrojado, commander of Joint Task Group Sulu, also debunked reports of Misuari’s death.
“Several sources claimed that Misuari was sighted in different locations attending some assemblies,” Arrojado said.
Arrojado said a report from Dr. Samsulah Adju, information officer of the MNLF in Sulu, revealed that Misuari presided the March 18 meeting in Barangay Kagay in Indanan town.
Misuari also met with Adju on June 12 and June 20, Arrojado added.
Arrojado said they also got a report that Misuari and his chief of staff, Abraham Joel, were sighted with more or less 100 armed followers Barangay (village) Kagay on Monday morning.
“We learned that Misuari has a new wife and her name is Sherry Rahim, a 19-year old woman from Cabingaan Island in Tapul town, and that she is seven months pregnant,” Arrojado said.
Mudjahahab, too, has supported reports that Misuari’s sixth wife is pregnant.
Misuari’s first wife was Desdemona Tan, who died of illness. Rohaida Tan, the elder sister of Desdemona, became Misuari’s second wife. His third wife is Tarhatta, while Maimona Palalisan of General Santos City is the fourth. A Subanen from Zamboanga del Norte is the fifth wife.