MANILA (AFP) - The second round of formal peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has been postponed after three days of clashes last week left at least 23 MILF fighters and two soldiers dead.
"I was just informed by (retired) General (Edgardo) Batenga that the resumption of the talks will not push through tomorrow but I still have to be briefed on the specific details surrounding it," said Orlando Mercado, Defense Secretary.
Batenga is the chief peace negotiator between the government and the MILF. He believes that talks will only proceed once a more conducive environment prevails.
Heavy fighting erupted on Wednesday after 3,000 soldiers launched an offensive on a strategic camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Maguindanao province. MILF soldiers sent to reinforce the MILF's Camp Omar seized two villages on the border of Maguindanao and North Cotabato province in the following days, trapping hundreds of civilians. On Friday, another group of MILF soldiers occupied the village of Kauran, taking seven hostages for use as human shields but later released them unharmed.
Skirmishes around these villages as well as in the perimeter of Camp Omar left at least 23 MILF and two government soldiers dead. Twenty-two other soldiers and six civilians were also wounded in the fighting.
Fighting ceased on Saturday, during which clearing operations were conducted in five battle ravaged towns in Maguindanao, where villagers told troops more MILF fighters could have been killed. Military southern command chief Lieutenant General Edgardo Espinosa said troops recovered firearms, mortars and ammunition and rocket launchers abandoned by fleeing MILF soldiers.
The MILF desires to set up an independent Islamic state in the main southern island of Mindanao, where it maintains 49 camps and territories. Formal peace negotiations were opened this year and the second round of talks are supposed to take place in Cotabato city today.
Mercado said armed forces chief General Angelo Reyes would still proceed to the south to assess the situation following the clashes. "We will be briefed on the situation there as well as prospects for the resumption of talks," Mercado said. "Despite the difficulties, the government is still pursuing a peaceful settlement of the problem. We are still optimistic that a peaceful resolution will be achieved."
On Saturday, President Joseph Estrada stressed the agenda for peace negotiations would not touch on the MILF's secessionist demand, but in reviving economic growth in the south, adding negotiators had been given until June to work out a peace deal. "There's only one country, one government and one constitution. I told them (government peace negotiators) up to June," to work out a settlement, Estrada said.
Mercado said the government also welcomed MILF chairman Hashim Salamat's offer to meet with Estrada when he visits the south next month, but said no formal plans had been made. "We are welcoming any effort to achieve peace," Mercado said.
Estrada in February last year pulled out from a scheduled meeting with Salamat due to security reasons and advice from his senior military officials that granting an audience with the MILF chief would give their struggle some form of legitimacy.
MILF spokesman Mohaqher Iqbal accused the government of dealing in bad faith in carrying out offensives while peace talks were ongoing. The attacks are "a deceit to the ongoing peace talks," Iqbal said. "That's duplicity. If they have already shifted to the military option, then they should inform us. There's no use talking."
