ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines, 12 May 2003 ? With a midnight deadline looming, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said yesterday they would extend their unilateral cease-fire another 10 days at the request of Malaysia, which has been trying to broker a peace deal.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said the office of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad requested the extension, and that he hoped the Philippine military would honor the truce, too.
Sporadic fighting continued during a 10-day cease-fire that had been scheduled to end at midnight yesterday, with each side accusing the other of starting clashes.
?We can assure you that there will be an extension of another 10 days because of the request of the Malaysian government,? Kabalu said. ?It was a request of the prime minister himself. We will not be acting like this if it is just anybody.?
The MILF has been fighting the government for three decades for an independent Muslim homeland on the southern island of Mindanao. It announced the unilateral cease-fire to allow the government to comply with a series of demands, including dismissal of criminal charges against rebel leaders for recent bombings and withdrawal of troops from a captured guerrilla stronghold.
Kabalu said he expects the Philippine government to halt an offensive during the coming days.
?They are the ones conducting the offensive so we expect that they will stop their offensive against the MILF,? he said.
The Philippine military?s vice chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Garcia, welcomed the cease-fire extension as a ?positive move? on the part of the rebels.
But he said the government and the military still want ?a permanent cease-fire ... that would ensure the continuation of the peace talks.?
Since the cease-fire started June 2, Mindanao ?has been largely quiet, and we are happy about that,? he said.
