Three killed as Estrada suspends talks with rebels<\/p>\n
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AFP): Three Muslim rebels were killed
\nin fresh clashes with soldiers in the southern Philippines hours
\nbefore President Joseph Estrada suspended talks after police
\naccused them of masterminding a wave of deadly bombings in
\nManila, officials said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The military's southern command said Moro Islamic Liberation
\nFront (MILF) forces attacked Saturday a group of government
\nmilitias in the town of Tubod in southern Lanao del Sur province.<\/p>\n
Soldiers were immediately sent to reinforce the militias,
\ntriggering an hour-long gunbattle that left at least three MILF
\nrebels killed, the military said.<\/p>\n
Troops also bombarded with mortars an area controlled by the
\nMILF in the town of Carmen in North Cotabato after the guerrillas
\nharassed security forces. There were no immediate reports of
\ncasualties.<\/p>\n
The fresh hostilities came just hours before President Estrada
\nsaid he would suspend talks with the MILF after police tagged the
\ngroup as responsible for a wave of bomb attacks in Manila on Dec.
\n30 that killed 22 people and wounded nearly 100 others.<\/p>\n
\"We cannot tolerate this. What they have done is a major blow
\nnot only in the lives of people but also in the livelihood of
\npeople, in terms of foreign investment, tourists and our
\neconomy,\" Estrada said on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Peace negotiations with the MILF last year collapsed after
\nManila launched a massive military offensive that led to the fall
\nof the rebel group's main base in the south.<\/p>\n
Estrada however has recently been making peace overtures with
\nthe MILF with officials earlier planning a resumption of
\nnegotiations this year.<\/p>\n
National police chief Panfilo Lacson last Friday recommended
\nfiling of multiple murder charges against MILF chairman Hashim
\nSalamat, vice chairmen Mohammad Murad and Ghadzali Jaafar and
\nfour other MILF members for the bombings.<\/p>\n
Lacson said there was clear evidence linking Afghan-trained
\nMILF rebels to the bombings, adding that police planned to
\n\"neutralize the leadership\" of the group.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Sunday, the military said it is ready to help
\npolice arrest leaders of the 13,000-strong MILF if asked to help.<\/p>\n
\"The military is supportive of the Philippine National Police
\nand if there is a warrant of arrest for MILF leaders, troops
\ncould be used as backup to policemen in serving the warrant,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said however that troops will not hesitate to seize any
\nwanted MILF leader in the event an encounter takes place.<\/p>\n
The MILF has been waging a 22-year rebellion for the
\nestablishment of an independent Islamic state in the main
\nsouthern island of Mindanao, where Muslims are a large minority.<\/p>\n
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu on Sunday again rejected claims his
\ngroup had anything to do with the bombings and accused police of
\ntagging them as a \"convenient excuse\" for their alleged inability
\nto solve the case.<\/p>\n
Kabalu said ongoing rebel offensives were confined to Mindanao
\nand targeted only troops, not civilians. He said it was \"alright\"
\nfor the government to suspend the talks, because \"we are not the
\nones who are seeking its resumption.\"<\/p>\n
MILF leaders are not covered by Philippine laws because they
\ndo not recognize the constitution, he said, and any attempts to
\narrest them could lead to further bloodshed.<\/p>\n
\"We are ready to die for our cause. We are ready for any
\neventuality,\" Kabalu told AFP in a phone interview from his
\nMindanao base.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/three-killed-as-estrada-suspends-talks-with-rebels-1447893297",
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