Suspension of offensive of government-MILF holding; OIC hails truce

MANILA, Philippines - The suspension of offensive military operations (SOMO) against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has been holding, as there were no reports of armed engagements with the separatist rebels after the SOMO declaration last week, the military said yesterday.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner said the cessation of hostilities between government troops and MILF rebels has sparked hope that the peace talks between the government and the separatist group would resume soon.

“We are counting on the pronouncement by the MILF leadership that they have already told all of their commanders, including the commanders of the lawless MILF group, that they will cease from attacking government installations or military camps and specifically the civilian populace so we are counting on their promise,” Brawner said.

Brawner, however, said the military is on the defensive against the possibility of another breakout of hostilities or attack from the rebels.

“We have certain rules of engagement that we are following. If we are attacked by the MILF group then we have the authority to pursue them, to pursue their troops,” he said.

Brawner added the government unilaterally declared the SOMO and has been receiving positive feedback even from the soldiers who have been fighting the MILF guerrillas.

At the same time, Brawner said measures have been in place to prevent the rebels from re-occupying their camps overrun by the military during the offensive in August last year.

“This will still be occupied by government forces, now it depends really on the ground commanders. It is their decision, their judgment whether these camps are defendable, and if these have some value for us,” Brawner said.

Presidential adviser on the Peace Process Avelino Razon Jr. yesterday expressed confidence that the government could reach a peace agreement with the MILF before President Arroyo’s term ends in 2010.

Razon said the SOMO against the MILF is a necessary ingredient for peace negotiations to take place.

The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) hailed the Philippine government’s SOMO, expressing optimism that the cessation of hostilities would pave the way for resumption of the stalled GRP-MILF talks.

OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ishanuglo said he was elated by the decision of the Philippine government to declare a SOMO as a prelude to the resumption of the peace talks.

Ishanuglo called on the GRP and the MILF to exert all efforts to realize security, peace, and development in Mindanao.

He also underscored the OIC’s readiness and willingness to assist the GRP and the MILF in achieving peace in the region.

The MILF, for its part, described Ishanuglo’s statement on the government and the MILF’s own declaration of SOMO as a tacit indication of the OIC’s support for the peace process.

The British government, on the other hand, has flown MILF representatives to Northern Ireland to enable them to learn the process of the negotiations that resulted in the signing of the Belfast Agreement in 1998, British Ambassador Peter Beckingham said yesterday. – With John Unson, Pia Lee-Brago