Follow truce, MILF rebels asked

Muslim separatist rebels have been ordered to stick to a three-year-old ceasefire with the government and avoid fresh hostilities after their leader was charged over deadly bomb attacks this month, a spokesman said yesterday.

The 12,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will "strictly observe" the ceasefire despite the "misunderstanding," spokesman Eid Kabalu told Agence France Presse.

"There is a directive to all commanders on the ground" to observe the truce, Kabalu said. "We are only on defensive mode and the ceasefire as of now is still holding."

However, he complained the government was sending "mixed signals" after police charged MILF chairman Murad Ibrahim along with 18 others accused of masterminding bomb attacks in Central Mindanao two weeks ago that killed 12 and wounded dozens.

MILF chief peace negotiator Mohager Iqbal is also in direct communication with his government counterpart Silvestre Afable on how to resolve the issue.

"There are efforts being made to exclude chairman Murad’s name from the list," Kabalu said.

Among those also charged were Indonesian Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) bomb-makers Umar Patek and Dulmatin. Both are being protected by the smaller but more ruthless Abu Sayyaf group on the southern island of Jolo, where they are targets of a massive military operation assisted by US intelligence.

The MILF has repeatedly denied any links with the JI, and has also publicly disowned the Abu Sayyaf as conditions for negotiating a political settlement with the government of President Arroyo.

Government negotiators earlier asked the MILF to help track down the suspects behind the bombings in a bid to placate the rebel ranks who were outraged by the inclusion of Murad in the charge sheet.

The rebels had also warned that the development could lead to a total break-up of peace talks, which are currently stalled over disagreement on parcels of land demanded by the rebels.

The MILF has been waging a rebellion for the establishment of an independent Islamic state on Mindanao since 1978, where they are a minority. — AFP