Manila: The mother of a baby born at a Philippines evacuation centre had a dilemma.
Rajman, whose family fled from a village occupied by Filipino-Muslim rebels in Zamboanga, was divided between naming the infant War (Bakbakan) or Peace.
“I think Peace is a better name,” said Rajman at the start of the conflict that, after 10 days, had left 101 dead, hundreds injured, and 100,000 displaced in Zamboanga City, which hosts one million residents.
The name of Rajman’s baby symbolised the looming victory felt by government authorities over 200 members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), who led the carnage that included the hostage-taking of 200 residents in six Muslim-dominated coastal villages in Zamboanga.
A joint military-police operation is focused on the release of 21 more hostages still held by the MNLF rebels in two coastal villages, Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas said.
Earlier Roxas said that, on the ninth day of the crisis, the joint police-military operation resulted in the release of 178 hostages from the hands of the MNLF.
Six more MNLF rebels were arrested or surrendered on Wednesday, raising to 93 the number of rebels now in military and police custody, said Roxas.
On Tuesday, 23 rebels surrendered to a police officer in Mampang village. Earlier, the militants reportedly captured a police officer during negotiations for their surrender.
Of the 101 killed, 87 were MNLF rebels, 11 were police and military, and four were civilians, said Roxas.
With 87 MNLF rebels dead and 93 held by government security forces, 20 more MNLF rebels are unaccounted for. However, Roxas said that 50 to 60 more MNLF rebels remained in “constricted conflict area” which he did not identify.
Roxas said the MNLF rebels were still holding some 21 hostages.
“To pursue the rebels, a delicate clearing operation is now being done house to house on an estimated six-to-seven-hectare residential area, the biggest, and also on a smaller three hectare-residential area,” said Roxas, adding, “We are now entering a delicate and widespread operation against the MNLF rebels.”
“The rebels should surrender, otherwise they will be killed or captured,” military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala said, estimating that the military and police would need to neutralise a lower number of 30 to 40 more MNLF rebels.
An offensive by 3,000 elite ground troops, helicopters and a naval cordon against the MNLF fighters in coastal villages resulted in deadly and noisy clashes on streets and in residential areas.
“This should end soon. But we were ordered to be careful to save trapped civilians and hostages,” said Zagala.
At the same time, the MNLF rebels are also being persuaded to surrender to save lives in Zamboanga, said a locally-based negotiator who requested for anonymity.
President Benigno Aquino wanted all the rebels arrested, said spokesman Edwin Lacierda.
During earlier talks for a ceasefire, President Aquino rejected a demand by MNLF founding chairman Nur Misuari for safe passage for the MNLF commanders, including Habier Malek who was in charge of occupying the hard-hit Santa Catalina village, said Lacierda.
In the meantime, Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Isabel Salazar announced the resumption of operations at Zamboanga airport.
It is not known if commercial centres, manufacturing areas, offices and schools will respond to calls for return to business.
Although the MNLF takeover occurred in six of 98 villages in Zamboanga City, its urban centre was paralysed as soon as the crisis started on September 9.
