‘Proof’ that Murad Ebrahim and Mohagher Iqbal are not Malaysians raises even MORE questions!

The Malaysian government has finally come out from under the rock it’s been hiding amidst the brouhaha over the huge SNAFU that is the Bangsamoro Basic Law “peace” deal negotiations it brokered between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a known Islamic terrorist group. Responding to increasing suspicion from various quarters in the Philippines that Moro Islamic Liberation Front leader Murad Ebrahim and spokesman Mohagher Iqbal are Malaysian nationals, Malaysia Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi reportedly “confirmed that both leaders of the MILF were not Malaysians as claimed.”

“I have checked with the Director-General of the Registration Department, including checking the personal information, date of birth and other details, and found that Haji Murad Ibrahim and (Mohagher) Iqbal are not Malaysians.

“I hope the member of parliament understands and this is the official stand of the Government of Malaysia on this issue,” he told reporters after officiating the Multi-nations Counter-Terrorism Exercise at the Langkawi International Shooting Range, here.

President BS Aquino, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, and Moro Islamic Liberation Front chairman Murad Ebrahim in happier times

President BS Aquino, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, and Moro Islamic Liberation Front chairman Murad Ebrahim in happier times

Hamidi was apparently referring to a recommendation issued by the Philippines’ Davao City Representative Karlo Alexei Nograles that a Philippine Congress committee involved in an on-going review of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) be requested to also investigate Ebrahim’s and Iqbal’s citizenship. Nograles was supposedly acting on a public message posted by former Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan on Facebook which features a quote from a message he received that asserts that Ebrahim and Iqbal do not carry Philippine passports when they travel.

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Iqbal has since denied that he and Ebrahim are Malaysian passport holders and presented what looks like a scanned digital image of his passport to “social news network” Rappler.com. However, the image had key pieces of information blotted out including Iqbal’s “real name”, his date of birth, and passport number. Ebrahim, for his part, has so far remained silent on the issue.

Though all of this information may, at first, seem to stand up as “evidence” that Ebrahim and Iqbal are neither Malaysian nationals nor Malaysian passport holders, there remains big enough gaps in the “evidence” so far emerging to give enough reason for Filipinos to doubt the veracity of all these claims. In fact, they only raise even more questions.

For one, why are Ebrahim and Iqbal unable to provide their real names to the Philippine public? The fact that they are treated as equal partners in a “peace process” in which the Philippine and Malaysian governments are parties to, makes them public figures. This means Filipinos are entitled to be privy to information of sufficient quality to fully authenticate their identities. A scanned image of a passport and Iqbal’s word that Ebrahim is “not a Malaysian passport holder” cannot be considered acceptable proof of identity.

Second, why has the Philippine government so far remained silent on the matter of the two men’s nationality, to the extent that the Malaysian government has come out with an “official statement” first? As earlier mentioned, the only “proof” being bandied by the BBL camp that Iqbal and Ebrahim are not foreign nationals is Iqbal’s exclusive submission to Rappler of a digital image of his passport and his word on Ebrahim’s citizenship and passport use. The Philippines’ own Bureau of Immigration (BI) has not come forward to confirm that (1) Iqbal and Ebrahim do indeed have Philippine passports and (2) that they used those passports in all international travel related to the BBL “peace” process.

Does the BI’s arm need to be twisted before they cough up that information and clear the matter once and for all?

Finally, it is really not surprising that Filipinos would be quick to believe that Ebrahim and Iqbal are not Filipinos and would remain skeptical about all this purported “proof” to the contrary so far being circulated across the Net. For one thing, it is common knowledge that the Philippines remains a claimant to the Malaysian state of Sabah and has so far not made an official categorical withdrawal to this claim. The Malaysian Connection was also reinforced by the “mysterious” submission of a report on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s own investigation into the Mamasapano Massacre to the Malaysian government instead of to the Philippine government.

Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr said this report is crucial for Senate hearings investigating the incident to continue…

“But to proceed on that hearing, I really need to see the MILF report which they mysteriously sent to Malaysia instead of the Philippines. There is no point on my having a hearing, walang silbi yun na hindi natin alam kung ano ang nangyari sa MILF side,” he said.

Rather than assuage Filipinos’ doubts that they have been had by a bunch of terrorists, the Malaysian government and their own government under the leadership of President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III, every new piece of information surrounding the BBL seems to merely contribute to convincing Filipinos that there indeed exists a vast conspiracy to insult their already dwindling intelligence. When will it all end with satisfying closure?

As always, abangan ang susunod na kabanata.

10 Replies to “‘Proof’ that Murad Ebrahim and Mohagher Iqbal are not Malaysians raises even MORE questions!”

  1. LOL, just figuring it out,huh? Everything that happens in the shit-hole country is a scam.EVERYTHING ! The current system needs to be done away with, the vermin that infest the gov’t. must be eradicated.
    Then, the Filipino may finally get the gov’t. they should have had since 1948.

  2. i think there is a conspiracy here, about selling out territories to foreign governments in exchange for political support. this is treason.

    1. The whole BBL thing was dead obvious it was a foreign maneuver. The country has disputes with Malaysia, but they are the one “helping” with the “peace process”. Another giveaway was MILF was gonna give their report to the Malaysians first, well at least being too obvious made them reconsider giving it to them first.

      Remember:
      Pnoy’s grandpa was MAKAPILI
      Pnoy’s pa exposed the claim back Sabah operation by Marcos and a communist sympathizer

  3. Ebrahim and Iqbal, may be Filipinos. However, they are working for the interests of the Malaysian government. Submitting their Reports about the Mamapasano massacre to the Malaysian government, means the Report will be SANITIZED by the Malaysian government.

    I have NO DOUBT, that Malaysia is interested on Mindanao, as their territory. They had done it to SABAH.

    Aquino is collaborating with the MILF/ISIS/Al Queda, and also Malaysia to cede the Philippine territory of Mindanao to Malaysia.

    I am not surprised, because , his grandfather, Benigno Aquino, Sr. sold us to the Japanese Imperial Army.

    1. careful drinking the kool-aid while wearing your tin-foil hats. the martians might see you through your stealth mode. aquino collaborating with ISIS/Al-qaeda? do you even here yourself? you must also believe obama is a Muslim socialist kenyan? hahahahah. #dafaq

  4. Suspicion is a virtue as long as its object is the public good, and as long as it stays within proper bounds. Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel.

  5. For those who think that BBL is a conspiracy by Malaysia to steal that land, get over it.

    even given free, knowing how much internal squabbles happen, Malaysia will never want it

    My bet is PNoy’s friends trying to settle a peace sign so they can go full force and plunder the immense mineral and other resources

    As for doubting based on ‘hidden’ date of birth and such, ever heard of ‘privacy’ ?

    Not in Philippines I guess, where even rapists get to show their proud face on TV and give intense interviews, as do the NPA, ASG and all in between !

    1. What is being highlighted here is the Philippine government’s silence with regard to at least confirming the actual existence of the passports in question and whether or not these were used for travel related to the BBL.

    2. Quote: “As for doubting based on ‘hidden’ date of birth and such, ever heard of ‘privacy’?

      Michael, are you paying attention to details?
      Iqbal presented a passport to Rappler with real name, birthdate and passport number, blotted.
      I assume, the purpose of presenting his passport to Rappler is to clarify his nationality, correct?
      Now, what’s the purpose of attempting to clarify your real identity if you deliberately blot out such important details most especially your passport ID?
      Privacy? Iqbal is now a person of public interest. Given the sensitive nature of the peace process and the BBL, what kind of a person is he to withhold important details from the public such as his real identity? And what kind of a government we have to allow that kind of cock-and-bull game amidst the people’s cry for transparency in this peace process dealings?
      I beg to disagree, but I don’t find your ‘privacy’ reason as acceptable, more so, plausible. Not in a sensitive issue such as the BBL. the public demands full transparency from both negotiating camps (government and MILF).
      No more, no less.

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