RP to cut military presence in south

RP to cut military presence in south

MANILA (AFP): Some military units will be withdrawn from Muslim areas of the southern Philippines after the country's largest Islamic rebel group agreed to a truce and peace talks, a senior general said on Thursday.

The government of deposed leader Joseph Estrada had thrown more than 60 percent of the armed forces into the region last year to fight the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Abu Sayyaf group.

"The pullout is being studied. Some of the troops will move out because of some priorities in Luzon," said vice chief of staff Lt. Gen. Jose Calimlim, referring to the main Philippine island.

"We are studying how we can effect this vis-a-vis the peace process," Calimlim told reporters, while stressing the army also needed to "secure communities" on the island of Mindanao, the rebels' main stronghold, despite the truce.

He would not say how many soldiers would move out of Mindanao.

The MILF has waged an intermittent 23-year guerrilla campaign for an Islamic state in the southern Philippines, while the Abu Sayyaf gained worldwide attention after seizing local and western hostages last year.

Three army divisions out of eight are permanently stationed on Mindanao to fight Muslim and communist insurgencies.

During the height of the military offensive last year, Estrada redeployed to Mindanao brigades and battalions based in Luzon to the country's north and the central island of Panay.

President Gloria Arroyo, who replaced Estrada after a popular revolt in January, declared a unilateral truce with the MILF last month.

Her government will also hold peace talks with communist guerrillas.