MANILA SOFTENING STANCE AGAINST MNLF'S MISUARI

Gonzalez added the change in policy comes "in light of the government's peace initiative" with Muslim separatists.

Asked whether Manila is considering Misuari's original plea to be tried by a Mindanao court, the Justice secretary stressed the government had not opposed a local trial for the Muslim leader. "We were not blocking the reason for the delay was that there was no judge," he said.

Gonzalez said "it was (House Speaker Jose) de Venecia who interceded" for the MNLF chairman and former ARMM chief who is facing rebellion charges before a special court in Laguna province, south of Manila.

But State Prosecutor Peter Ong, for his part, expressed dismay for a court's decision that allowed Misuari temporary liberty.

He noted that Judge Sixto Marella of the Regional Trial Court Branch 138 in suburban Makati City did not inform him of Misuari's motion, being the government's prosecutor in the case.

Ong has been opposing the MNLF leader's bid to get out of prison, claiming that he represents a threat to national security.

The Supreme Court has designated Marella to hear the Misuari case. In the en banc ruling, Marella was directed by the high court to hear the case at a temporary courtroom at Fort Sto. Domingo where Misuari is detained.

Misuari, however, said he is not a threat to national security and the government will not profit by keeping him in jail.

In his first public appearance since being charged with rebellion, Misuari took the opportunity to make a public appeal for Manila to drop his charges and free him.

His lawyers also filed a petition asking the temporary courtroom in Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna to grant him temporary release to allow him to seek medical examination and treatment.

Misuari, who was escorted by heavily-armed members of the Special Action Force, left his detention around 5:30 am. and was taken to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig municipality, just outside Metro Manila, around 6 am.

The ex-ARMM governor said he is thankful for hist short release from jail as the lower court gave in to his petition for temporary reprieve from jail.

Misuari claimed he did not start the war. "My conscience is clear. I did not start the war. Until now, I have not been tried in court," he stressed.

Misuari spent three-and-a-half hours at the mosque and returned to his stockade at the police camp around 11 a.m.

He said in the next few days, he will file petitions for medical examination, bail and the dismissal of the rebellion case filed against him.

Misuari was named ARMM governor after he signed a peace pact with Manila in 1996. He, however, carried out a rebellion after he had a falling out with the (President Gloria Macapagal) Arroyo administration, which did not back his bid to regain the governorship of the Muslim autonomous region in the Philippines' south.