MANILA: The Bureau of Immigration (BI) yesterday denied reports that Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding Chairman Nur Misuari has already left the country, saying it had no record of his departure.
BI spokesperson Ma Angelica Pedro said that Misuari, who allegedly ordered the armed MNLF fighters to attack in Zamboanga City last month, is still in the country.
“Mr Misuari is still in the country. We are coordinating with other agencies regarding that information. We will issue a statement as soon as we hear from them,” said Pedro. Pedro declined to provide more information as to the whereabouts of Misuari because this could jeopardise their coordination with other agencies.
Asked if it was possible that the 74-year-old MNLF leader might have slipped out of the country undetected via the so-called Southern Backdoor in Mindanao, she said, “I am sorry but I won’t be able to answer that now because I don’t want to prejudice the on-going coordination efforts of the bureau.”
There were speculations that Misuari used the traditional maritime route, landing in the coast of Bolongan in Southern Sulawesi, Indonesia. His wife and two children are reportedly already in the Middle East.
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