President Gloria Arroyo said on Sunday she wished to see Muslim leader Nur Misuari remain in jail in Malaysia pending a trial rather than be returned to the Philippine, where a rebellion he led killed 113 people last week.
“We will let Malaysia investigate him first for the violation of their own laws and charge him, dispose of him in accordance with their own laws,” Arroyo told a news agency by telephone. I am sure the investigation will take some time. Malaysia will be dealing with him (but) personally, I want him to stay in a Malaysian jail.
Misuari and six of his followers were arrested before dawn on Saturday at Jampiras Island for entering Malaysia illegally via Jolo Island in the southern Philippines. Jampiras is the island closest to the Philippine-Malaysia international boundary and about 30 minutes by boat from the Sabah town of Sandakan.
Some 600 armed followers of Misuari attacked military outposts in Jolo last week in an apparent bid to disrupt elections in the autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao set for on Monday. Bureau Report