MILF ‘disowns’ senatorial bet of Bangon Pilipinas

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Tuesday distanced itself from a senatorial bet of television evangelist Eduardo "Eddie" Villanueva, who it said is being introduced as its former spokesman.

In an article posted on its website Tuesday, the MILF denied Bangon Pilipinas senatorial bet Zafrullah Alonto had ever been its member, much less its spokesman. "The MILF wishes to inform Bangon [Pilipinas] and the public that at no time since its founding did the MILF ever had a spokesman by the name Zafrullah Alonto. No person by such name is also a member of the MILF," it said. As of posting time, the camp of Bro. Eddie has yet to comment on the matter. Peace negotiator's relative But MILF peace negotiating panel member Maulana Alonto admitted Zafrullah Alonto is a relative "who has lost touch with the family for about six years." He said senatorial bet Alonto has had "psychological problems" and may be vulnerable to exploitation from some groups. "We never heard from Zafrullah Alonto and have never seen him in all those years. He had some psychological problems and we were worried that his mental state would get him into trouble. So some family members exerted efforts to find him, but to no avail. He just vanished," he added. "I have to set the record straight. The Alonto family has nothing to do whatsoever with Zafrullah Alonto’s running for senator under the Bangon [Pilipinas]. He is not, and has never been, a ‘former spokesman of the MILF’ let alone a member of the MILF or a ‘representative of the Bangsamoro people’ as being said by him or his handlers in public. This claim is as sinister as it is a fantasy, and it puts our family, not to mention the MILF, in a bad light. In strongest terms, we denounce this brazen prevarication and we urgently advice those involved in it to stop this shenanigan," he added. MILF spokesperson? At least one press release on Villanueva’s blog site and on his Facebook notes had introduced Alonto as a "former MILF spokesperson." On the other hand, the MILF claimed Alonto was being introduced in his political biodata and to the public as a "former MILF spokesman." "Video clips posted [on] the Bangon [Pilipinas] website apparently taken during campaign forums of Bangon [Pilipinas] show Villanueva himself introducing said Zafrullah Alonto as ‘former MILF spokesman,’" the MILF said. It caused lamentations among some media establishments, "which appear to having been deceived by this false representation," also referred to Alonto as such, and as a "representative of the Bangsamoro people." The MILF pointed out it is an Islamic revolutionary liberation organization, and is thus not involved in Philippine partisan politics as a matter of policy. - RSJ/LBG, GMANews.TV