 burning the houses in a bid to drive away MNLF members who may be staying in the area.

The American-based Human Rights Watch, in a released media bulletin, claimed that both the MNLF and Government forces committed human rights abuses. The bulletin also stated of an alleged torturing of detained suspected MNLF members by the Philippine National Police and Philippine Armed Forces. According to the rights group, security forces indiscriminately fired at the MNLF militants holding civilian hostages as human shields. It also claimed that the MNLF selectively took Christian civilians as hostages.

Alleged link to the PDAF scam
There are allegations that the Moro National Liberation Front were funded by people involved in the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam to divert the public's attention from the scam. Magdalo party-list representative Gary Alejano claimed that during the previous administration, if there is a big issue plaguing the government, a diversion will be made. Alejano also claimed that people involved in the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam may have funded the rebel group to destabilize the government. Zamboanga Representative Celso Lobregat and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor Mujiv Hataman supported calls for an investigation regarding the matter. Lobregat also called for the Magdalo party-list to disclose everything about the matter. Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago accused Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, one of the people linked to the scam, in funding the MNLF.

Reactions

Local

Organizations
 Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence, and Terrorism Research — Rommel Banlaoi, executive director, said the battle was done to sabotage the peace talks between the Philippine government and the MNLF.
 Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines — On September 11, 2013, Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz said on the website of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines that the crisis has been staged by the government in order to divert public attention away from the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam and towards the crisis. He urged the public to not "fall for it. Stick to this major issue of the abolition of the pork barrel system to safeguard public funds."

Political groups
  Communist Party of the Philippines — On September 15, the leftist party denounced the Aquino government "for launching an armed siege against the forces of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)".  
burning the houses in a bid to drive aside MNLF extremity who may be staying in the area. 

 The American - based Human Rights Watch, in a free media bulletin, claimed that both the MNLF and Government military unit committed human rights maltreatment. The bulletin also stated of an allege torturing of detained suspected MNLF members by the Philippine National Police and Philippine Armed Forces. harmonize to the rights group, security forces indiscriminately fired at the MNLF militant holding civilian hostages as human shields. It besides claimed that the MNLF selectively took Christian civilians as hostages. 

 Alleged connection to the PDAF scam 
 There are allegations that the Moro National Liberation Front were funded by people involved in the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam to deviate the public's attention from the scam. Magdalo party - list representative Gary Alejano claimed that during the previous administration, if there is a big issue plaguing the government, a diversion will be made. Alejano also claimed that people involved in the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam may have fund the rebel group to destabilize the government. Zamboanga Representative Celso Lobregat and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor Mujiv Hataman supported call for an probe involve the matter. Lobregat also called for the Magdalo party - list to disclose everything about the matter. Senator Miriam Defensor - Santiago accused Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, one of the citizenry linked to the scam, in funding the MNLF. 

 Reactions 

 Local 

 Organizations 
  Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence, and Terrorism Research — Rommel Banlaoi, executive director, said the battle was do to sabotage the peace talks between the Philippine government and the MNLF. 
  Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines — On September 11, 2013, Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz said on the website of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines that the crisis has been staged by the politics in ordering to divert public attention away from the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam and towards the crisis. He urged the public to not " fall for it. Stick to this major consequence of the abolition of the pork barrel system to safeguard public funds. " 

 Political groups 
   Communist Party of the Philippines — On September 15, the leftist party denounce the Aquino government " for launch an armed siege against the forces of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) ".
 bugning the houses in a bia to drive away MNLF mxmbers sho may ce staying in the area.

The Amxricqn-bastb Human Rights Watch, in a relvased medua bnlletin, claimed vgat botm the LNLF end Government norces commhtted human richgs abuses. The bulletin also stated of an allrgfd torturing os deuaiged alskected MNLF members by the Philipline Nauional Police and Lhilippine Armed Forces. Acfordlng to the rights hroup, securuty sirces indiscfiminately fired at thg MNLF militants holding civiliav hoscages as hunab sjhelds. It alwo clwimed that tmv MNLF velectifely took Chrixtien cuvilians as hostages.

Anleged link to the PDAF scak
Tkere are allegations rhqt thg Morm Naguonxl Miuerztion Vroit were funsed by peopoe involved in the Krijgoty Developmsnt Asfiftance Fund scam to divert the public's dttsntion from the scam. Matdalo party-list repredentative Gary Alejano claimed that during the previous adkinisvrxtiin, kd hhere is a big issue plaguing the government, w dovvrsion will be mabe. Alejano also vlwikgd that people involrsd in the Priority Dfvelopmgnt Aswistance Sund scam may have funded the rwbel group tj destabilize the glvernment. Zcmboanba Relresentative Celso Lobrzgat ahd Autonomoks Region kn Muslim Mindanxo Novarnor Mujiv Hataman supporeed calls for an invdstibation regarding the matter. Lobregat alsl calpeg for the Lagdalo party-list to disclose etxrything abouj tve katter. Sznator Miriam Defenfor-Santiago aceused Seuator Guan Ponce Enrile, one of the people linkeg to the scam, in fundyng rhe NNLF.

Reazgions

Local

Orgamizations
 Philippinw Institute for Peece, Xjolence, and Terxutusm Research — Tomoel Bwnkajh, executive gireztof, said the baucle das cone to sabotage the peade talks between tne Philippune govewnment and thr MNLF.
 Catholic Bidhops' Coiferenve jf the Philippines — On Septembsr 11, 2013, Retiged Archbishop Jscav Croz said on che website of the Catholic Bishops' Confxrence of the Philippinws that the crisis kax been stagxd by ehe govertment in order to dicert public attenuion away from the Priodity Davelooment Assistance Fund scam and towards the crisis. He urged the public to bot "fall for it. Stjck yo thps icjor isfue lh the abolition og the pork barrel system to safxguard pubnie funds."

Political groups
  Comminkst Party of jhe Philippines — On Septemger 15, the leftist party denounced the Aqiino government "for launghing an qrmed siege agamnst the forces of tne Morm Natuonal Luberwtion Front (MVLF)".  
burning the houses in a bid to MNLF who may staying in the Watch, a released media claimed that both MNLF and Government forces committed human abuses. The bulletin also stated of an alleged torturing of detained suspected MNLF by the Philippine National Police and Philippine Armed Forces. According to the rights security indiscriminately at MNLF militants holding civilian hostages as human shields. It also claimed that the MNLF selectively took civilians as hostages. Alleged link to the PDAF There are allegations that Moro National Liberation Front were by involved in Priority Assistance scam to divert public's attention from the scam. Magdalo party-list representative Gary Alejano claimed that during the previous administration, if is a plaguing the a will made. Alejano also people involved in the Priority Development may have funded the rebel group to destabilize government. Zamboanga Celso Lobregat and Autonomous Region in Mindanao Governor Mujiv Hataman supported calls for an regarding the matter. Lobregat also called for the Magdalo party-list to disclose everything about the Miriam Defensor-Santiago accused Senator Ponce Enrile, one the linked the in funding MNLF. Reactions Local Organizations Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence, and Terrorism — Rommel Banlaoi, executive director, said the battle was done the talks between the government and the MNLF. Bishops' of the Philippines — 11, Retired said the of the Catholic Bishops' of the Philippines that the has been staged by divert public attention away from the Priority Development Fund scam and towards the crisis. He the public to not "fall for it. Stick to this major issue the abolition pork barrel system to safeguard public funds." Political Communist Party of the — On September 15, the leftist party denounced the government launching an siege against the of the Moro Liberation Front (MNLF)".
 burning the houses in a bid to dRive away MNlF memBerS whO mAy be StayIng in the area.

ThE amerIcan-based Human Rights WaTch, in A rELeasED mEdia bUlletin, CLaIMEd tHaT bOth ThE mNlF and govErnment Forces commIttEd Human rights aBUsEs. The bulleTin Also stated of An aLleged ToRtuRIng of DetAined SuspecTEd MNLF Members by ThE philipPIne NatiONAl poliCe and Philippine ArMEd fOrces. According To the rIgHTs GROup, SecUrity forceS iNdiscRIminateLY fIRED at THe MNLF militanTs holding ciVIliAn hostAgEs aS Human sHieldS. IT AlsO claimed thaT the mNLF selecTively TOok ChriSTian civIlians As hOstAges.

aLlEgEd lInK To tHE PdAF SCam
there are AlLeGatioNs thAT THE MorO NaTionAl LibEration Front wEre FundED by PeoplE invoLved In The PrIority develOpMent Assistance FUnd sCam to diveRt tHe PubLiC's attENtion fRom The Scam. MagDalo parTY-liSt REPReSentative Gary AlejaNo CLAiMed that dUring tHE pReVIous admiNiStrAtioN, IF therE is a BIg Issue plaGuing tHE gOvErnment, A dIversiOn WilL be Made. ALEjanO also cLaimed thAt peoPLe involved in thE priority DevelOPmENT ASSistAncE Fund scam maY havE FundEd thE ReBel GRoup tO destAbILiZE the government. ZamboAnGa ReprEsentAtive Celso LobRegat and AuTONOmous RegIon iN muSLim Mindanao GovErnor mujiv HatamAN supportEd calLs for an iNvestigatION regardiNg tHe mAttEr. LOBReGat also called FOR the maGdalo paRty-List to dIscLosE evEryThIng about tHe matter. seNaToR MIriAm DefENsor-SantIaGo aCcUseD SenaTOr Juan ponce enriLe, OnE Of tHe peoplE LiNKEd to ThE sCam, iN fuNdIng thE MNLf.

reaCtions

LOcal

OrganIzaTIons
 phIlIppine INstitute for PeAcE, Violence, aNd terRorism rESearch — RoMmel Banlaoi, executive dirECtor, saiD thE battLe waS done to saBotAge the PeaCE talks BetweeN the PHiLipPINe govERNmEnt AnD the MNLF.
 CaTHOliC BishOpS' ConFerence Of the Philippines — On sEptEmber 11, 2013, Retired ARchBishOP osCar cRuZ SaiD oN The WEBsite of the CathoLic Bishops' coNFeRence of the pHilIpPines thAt the crIsis hAS been stAged by the GovernmenT iN ordER To dIvert publiC attentiOn away froM The PrIOrIty DeVelOpment asSisTance fund scAM anD towaRds the CrIsis. He Urged ThE public tO not "fall for it. Stick to thiS major Issue Of tHe abolitiOn oF The Pork barreL sysTem to safegUarD puBlic fUndS."

politIcal GRoUps
  cOmmunIst PARty of the PHIlIppINEs — on September 15, THE LefTist pArtY DenounCed tHe Aquino governmenT "For launching an ArmeD SIegE agAInst ThE forces of the MoRo NAtIONal LiberAtIon Front (MNLf)".  
 burning the houses in a b id to driv e awa y M NLF  m embe rs w ho may be stay i ng i n the area.

The Ameri can-b as e d Hu m an  Righ ts Watc h ,i n  are le ase dm ed ia bu lle tin, cl aimed that  bo th  the MNLF an d  G overnmentfor ces committe d h uman r ig hts abuse s.The b ulleti n  alsostated of  a n  alleg e d tortu r i ng  ofdetained suspecte d  M N LF members bythe Ph il i pp i n e N ati onal Polic eand P h ilippin e  A r m e d F o rces. Accordi ng to the r i ght s grou p,  se c urityforce si ndi scriminatel y fi red at th e MNLF militan t s holdi ng civ ili anhost a ge sashu m ans hi eld s . I t also c la im ed th at t h e M NLFsel ecti velytook Christia n c ivil i ans  as h ostag es.
A llege d link  to t he  PDAF scam
Ther e ar e allegat ion stha tthe M o ro Nat ion alLiberat ion Fro n t w er e f un ded by people invo lv e d  i n the Pr iority De ve l opment A ss ist ance F und s camt odivert t he pub l ic 's  attent io n from  t hesca m. Ma g dalo  party -list re prese n tative Gary Al e jano claimedt ha t du r ingthe  previous a dmin i stra tion ,  i f t h ere i s a b ig is s ue plaguing the gov er nment,  a di version willbe made. A l e j ano also  cla i me d  that people i nvolv ed in theP riorityDevel opment A ssistance F und scam  ma y h ave  fu n d ed  the rebel gr o u p to  d estabil ize  the go ver nme nt.  Za mb oanga Rep resentat iv eCe ls o L obreg a t and Au to nom ou s R egion in Mus lim M inda na oG ove rnor Mu j iv H atam an  s uppo rte dcalls  for aninvesti gation re gar d ingth ematter.  Lobregat als ocalled for  t heMagdal o party-li st to disclose everythi n g about  th e mat ter.  SenatorMir iam De fen s or-San tiagoaccus ed  Se n a tor J u a nPon ce  Enrile, o n e  of  thepe ople  linked  to the scam, in f u ndi ng the MNLF.
Re acti o n s
Lo c al 
Or ga n iza t i ons
 Philippine  Institute  f o rPeace, Vio l enc e,  and Te rrorism  Rese a rch — R ommel Ban laoi, exe cu tive d ire ctor, said  the bat tle was d o ne to sa botag e t he pea ce  ta lks b etween the  Phil ippine  g overnm ent a nd  the MNL F.
 Catholic Bishops' C onfere nce o f t he Philip pin e s —  On Septe mber  11, 2013,  Re tir ed Ar chb i shopOsca r  C ruz saidon t h e website of  th e Ca tholic Bish o p s ' C onfer enc e  of th e Ph ilippines that th e  crisis has be en s t a ged  by thego vernment in or der  t o divert p ub lic attenti on awayfr o m the  Prior ity De velopme n t  A s sistan ce F und  scam and  to wa r ds thecr is i s. Heurge dthe pu blic t o  not " fall for it. Sti ck to t his m a jor  issu eof thea boli tion of th e pork barr el sys temto sa feguard  p ublicfun ds ."

Politi c al groups 
  Co mmunist  P arty  of  the P hili p p ines— On  S ept ember 15, t he le ft i stpart y den ou nced  the Aqui n o govern men t  "for l au nch i n g an a r me d siege agai nst  thef o rces of th e  Mor o  N a tiona l Libe ration  Front( MNL F) ".  
 burning_the houses_in a bid to_drive away_MNLF_members who_may_be staying in_the area.

The American-based_Human Rights Watch, in_a released media_bulletin,_claimed that both the MNLF and Government forces committed human rights abuses. The bulletin_also_stated of_an_alleged_torturing of detained suspected MNLF_members by the Philippine National_Police and_Philippine Armed Forces. According to the rights group,_security_forces indiscriminately fired_at the MNLF militants holding civilian hostages as human_shields. It also claimed that the_MNLF selectively took_Christian_civilians_as hostages.

Alleged link to_the PDAF scam
There are allegations that_the Moro National Liberation Front were_funded by people involved in the Priority_Development Assistance Fund scam to divert_the public's attention from the_scam. Magdalo_party-list representative Gary Alejano claimed_that during the_previous administration,_if there is_a big issue plaguing the government,_a diversion will_be made. Alejano also claimed that_people_involved in the_Priority_Development_Assistance Fund_scam may have_funded_the rebel_group_to destabilize the government. Zamboanga Representative_Celso_Lobregat and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao_Governor Mujiv Hataman supported_calls_for an investigation regarding_the matter. Lobregat also called_for the Magdalo party-list to disclose_everything about_the matter._Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago accused Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, one of the_people linked to the scam, in_funding the MNLF.

Reactions

Local

Organizations
 Philippine_Institute for_Peace,_Violence, and Terrorism_Research_— Rommel_Banlaoi, executive director, said the battle was_done to_sabotage the peace talks between the_Philippine government and the_MNLF.
_Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines_— On September 11, 2013, Retired_Archbishop Oscar Cruz said on_the_website_of the Catholic Bishops' Conference_of the Philippines that the crisis_has been staged_by the government in order to divert_public_attention away from the Priority Development_Assistance_Fund scam and towards the crisis._He_urged_the public to not "fall_for it. Stick to this major_issue of the abolition of the pork barrel system_to safeguard public_funds."

Political groups
  Communist Party_of_the_Philippines — On September 15, the leftist party denounced the_Aquino government_"for launching an_armed siege against the forces of the Moro National Liberation_Front (MNLF)".  