The chairman of the separatist MoroIslamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Wednesday called for a stop to hostilities between the military and the rebels in the Philippines' southern region of Mindanao.
MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim told local TV network ABS-CBN that he has ordered Abdurahman Macapaar, known as Commander Bravo, and Commander Ameril Umbra Kato to stop the attacks in several provinces in Mindanao.
Reports said the two commanders were behind the rebel units that attacked villages in the country's southern province of North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte and Saranggani, which killed at least 33civilians and three soldiers. Thousands were forced to leave their home for safety. On Tuesday, the government offered 10 million pesos (220,000 U.S. dollars) to catch the two commanders, who were considered by the military out of the control of the MILF leadership.
"This is an unexpected situation. We have been very faithful in the peace process and we hold the supremacy of the peace process. We are very saddened by this situation and we hope, we are still optimistic that everybody will cooperate and save the situation and the peace process," said the MILF leader.
Murad said the attacks by Moro rebels in the southern provinces were the result of "frustration of MILF ground commanders" with the aborted signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain scheduled earlier this month.
On Aug. 4, the Philippine 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.
The MILF chairman said the aborted signing of the pact, with some inflammatory statements, "built up the outrage" of MILF ground commanders.
Murad urged the military to cease its offensive against the Moro rebels, warning that MILF forces might retaliate when provoked. He also said arresting MILF Commanders Bravo and Kato will not help in ending the hostilities in the South.
Macapaar led the MILF attacks in Lanao del Norte and Sarangganiand Kato led the attacks in the province of North Cotabato. The government want to arrest them for engaging in criminal acts like arson, murder, and hostage-taking among others.
"We are trying our best to restrain our commanders in order to save the situation," said the MILF leader.
However, Macapaar said earlier on Wednesday that his fighters were prepared to trade fire with government troops anytime.
"If they cannot finish us, we will finish them," Macapaar said over a local radio.
"What the Muslims want is Islamic justice in Mindanao," said the commander, referring to the country's main southern island where the MILF has been waging a separatist rebellion for decades.
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.
Source:Xinhua
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