Manila gives ground to rebels

Manila gives ground to rebels

MANILA (AFP): Philippines officials on Tuesday dangled the prospect of expanded self-rule to minority Muslims in the Mindanao region as Manila got ready for peace talks with Islamic separatists after a deadly outbreak of fighting in the south.

"The government can give them substantial autonomy" within the bounds of the constitution, on top of the limited self-rule granted to another Muslim separatist guerrilla group which made peace with Manila in 1996, National Security Adviser Alexander Aguirre said.

Any agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which will hold talks with the government on Wednesday, "could jibe or reinforce" the 1996 pact with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), "so long as these do not contravene our negotiated settlement with the MNLF."

The 1996 pact created a special council dominated by the MNLF, which would channel development funds to four provinces that agreed to become part of the autonomous region.