RP offers bounty for MILF chiefs, may call off peace talks in KL

RP offers bounty for MILF chiefs, may call off peace talks in KL

Agence France-Presse, Manila

President Gloria Arroyo on Monday offered close to a million- dollar bounty for leaders of the Philippines' top Moro rebel group amid hints she may scrap peace talks after a string of deadly attacks.

"The government has decided to take punitive action against all the perpetrators of the Siocon terrorist attack and also the Maigo attack," said Jesus Dureza, a peace negotiator with the 12,500-member Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Some 200 MILF rebels took over the southern mining town of Siocon on Sunday, seizing hostages and torching the public market and nearby houses. The attack claimed the lives of 28 people -- 10 civilians, seven MILF rebels, six policemen and five soldiers.

Two weeks earlier, MILF rebels also attacked the southern town of Maigo, killing 16 civilians.

The MILF is waging a 25-year campaign to set up an Islamic state in the southern third of the mainly Roman Catholic Philippine islands.

Dureza told reporters at the end of a cabinet meeting convened by Arroyo that Manila would offer 50 million pesos (US$926,000) for information leading to the arrest of MILF chairman Hashim Salamat, rebel commander Ibrahim Murad, and three other MILF senior officials.

The Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur is scheduled to host the resumption of exploratory peace talks between Manila and the MILF after a 14-month break, but Dureza suggested this could now be in peril.

"In the meantime, since the atmosphere is not conducive to peace negotiations and since the panel to panel meeting have been suspended since March 2002, we will remain in the same mode," he said.

"There will be appropriate action that will be taken to inform those who have been helping us, like Malaysia and the OIC (Organization of the Islamic Conference) member-nations."

Dureza said Manila "will just have to work at seeing to it that similar terrorist activities would not be left unacted on by the government."

Earlier Monday, Arroyo dispatched hundreds of troops to Siocon and demanded that the MILF hand over those responsible for the Siocon raid, which also left dozens wounded.

Hundreds of troops deployed in and around the gutted center of Siocon on Monday, with military helicopters helping the soldiers comb hinterland areas where the rebels are suspected to have fled, journalists on the scene said.

Several dozen villagers were seen huddled and sobbing in a community center as others sifted through the smoldering rubble of the public market.

Buildings were pockmarked by bullets and one large hole, possibly made by a mortar, could be seen in the wall of the mayor's office.

Siocon mayor Cesar Soriano told AFP by telephone that authorities were trying to confirm reports from villagers that the gunmen had beheaded one of three hostages seized from the town.

Arroyo said the authorities "will go after the perpetrators and the MILF must turn over to the government without excuses the perpetrators.

"We will not compromise against terrorism. We will pursue them wherever they flee. They will not find any sanctuary here or in any other land."

She said the MILF must undertake "a full renunciation of terrorism".

Earlier this year, the MILF was accused of ordering the bombings of two southern Philippine airports and a southern port that left 39 people dead and more than 200 others wounded. The group has denied the charges.