MNLF troops slip past cops ZAMBOANGA CITY - Snipers of the Moro National Liberation Front have started shooting at high-rise buildings in Barangay Santa Catalina in Zamboanga City Monday as the crisis entered its 8th day. DZMM correspondent Noel Alamar said MNLF men started shooting at high-rise condominium buildings after noticing some residents in the condos watching the ongoing firefight. Security forces said the MNLF fighters could have mistaken the residents for soldiers. Alamar said security forces ordered the media men to vacate the area after the bullets ricocheted off the buildings. Fighting between government troops and the MNLF rebels continued for the 8th straight day, starting as early as 5:30 a.m. Monday. Alamar said both sides were using mortars in the conflict. A fire also erupted near the Zamboanga City Medical Center but was put out by firefighters. Officials said the MNLF could be using the fires to burn the bodies of their slain comrades. The Bureau of Fire Protection believes the Misuari group is also deliberately torching the buildings, using it as a signal that they are ready to attack. The bureau estimates hundreds of houses have been burned in the city since the standoff began. The main avenue leading to Barangay Santa Catalina was cordoned off Monday after suspected MNLF fighters riding a SUV attempted to enter the area. Intelligence reports said the MNLF men were in military fatigues when they slipped past the Philippine National Police. Report by Noel Alamar, radio dzMM