Former ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) governor Nur Misuari and his lieutenant Habier Malik have been charged with rebellion for their deadly Zamboanga “enterprise.” Rebellion charges may not be enough to compensate for the harm they caused this peaceful city of ours. Now, our city is in a shambles and it will take some time before we can recover from Misuari and company’s senseless action.
It is hard to accept that Muslim leaders like Misuari and Malik would do such a terrible thing. Muslims and Christians have been living in harmony in this city for as long as we can remember. But to Misuari and his group, Muslims and Christians, and even their blood relatives, are all the same—they can be targets of their violent, armed forays.
We hope Misuari will be caught soon and pay for the crimes he did to us. We hope he rots in jail and suffers the hardships of a prisoner’s life even though, as I have said, this will never be enough to compensate for the harm he has caused.
It is time for him to face reality and redeem whatever is left of himself.
—EVANGELINE G. TORIBIO, evangeline_toribio@yahoo.com