Police was placed Tuesday on full alert in the Philippines' capital of Metro Manila for fear of a spillover of clashes between rebels and government troops in the country's southern region of Mindanao.
The alert, as well as that in the whole of Mindanao came after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to defend Mindanao from the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front's (MILF) atrocities.
There were no specific reports of possible terror attacks in Metro Manila, but the police opted to place all units on full alert as a "preemptive" measure, said Nicanor Bartolome, spokesman for the police.
At least 26 people, mostly civilians, were killed in some MILF fighters' latest attacks this week in Lanao del Norte and Sarangani provinces. Reports said Monday's attacks were led by at least three MILF sub-commanders, considered by the military as out of the control of MILF leaders. The rebels burned houses and shot or hacked to death civilians and took others captive.
At least 6,000 people have left their homes and ran to nearby cities for safety.
Meanwhile, military forces were strengthened in the south in anticipation of fresh rebel attacks.
Armed Forces chief Gen. Alexander Yano vowed in a TV interview to chase down the rebels and said that the time to give peace a chance was now over.
"If they (MILF) can't control them, the government will certainly control them and we will undertake our mandate to protect the people and the communities and we cannot renege on that constitutional mandate," he said.
"We will pursue and take aggressive action against the perpetrators of the dastardly acts committed against innocent civilians," he added.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said Monday's attack was carried out by a commander named Abdullah Macapaar. He said on Tuesday that the commander will "face the consequence of his action" but did not elaborate.
Kabalu said the rebels were frustrated after the Supreme Court, acting on a petition filed by politicians wary of losing land and power, blocked a preliminary agreement with the rebels calling for an expanded autonomous region in Mindanao.
Chief rebel negotiator Mohaqher Iqbal said if nothing comes out of the current peace process with the government, the guerrillas will return to war.
The 12,000-strong rebels have been fighting for self-rule since1978, and signed a cease-fire with the government in 2003. The peace talks between the government and the rebel group have been on and off over the past years.
Violence escalated after the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraint order to stop the government and the rebels from inking an instrumental agreement on territory of the projected Muslim-dominated state, the last remaining hurdle to a final political settlement that is expected to end the insurgency in the southern Philippines.
Source: Xinhua
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