ZAMBOANGA CITY, 27 February 2006 — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said yesterday it will continue to pursue peace talks with the government despite the political crisis in Manila.

“The atmosphere right now is not very conducive to the conduct of the talks and we expect a last-minute cancellation of March schedule,” said Jun Mantawil, head of the MILF peace panel secretariat.

Mantawil said both MILF and government peace panels are scheduled to resume formal peace talks next month. “We are ready anytime,” he said.

He said the MILF is polishing a draft of the guidelines on how to implement the Muslim ancestral domain provision of a proposed peace agreement.

Peace negotiators have resolved kinks this month on the ancestral domain issue and the rebel group said it is close to signing a deal that is hoped to finally put an end to more than three decades of fighting in Mindanao.

Muslims in the southern Philippines hailed the progress of the peace effort.

“It is a big breakthrough, the issues on the ancestral domain have long been the root of the Muslim insurgency problems in Mindanao, and now government and rebel peace negotiators have finally resolved this,” said Shariff Julabbi, who had earlier severed his ties with the MILF.

He said the agreement on the ancestral domain reached by the government and rebel negotiators last week is one step closer to sealing a peace deal that would bring stability to the region.

Ancestral domain refers to the MILF demand for territory that will constitute a Muslim homeland.

Eid Kabalu, the MILF spokesman, said government and rebel peace negotiators have agreed on several crucial issues, including the coverage of the ancestral domain in the five Muslim autonomous provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao, as well as in other areas in Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provinces where there are large communities of Muslims and indigenous tribes.

“We are almost there, peace is just around the corner and it is only a matter of time before a peace agreement is signed by both the peace panels. We have fulfilled the peace process,” Kabalu said.

Manila said it expects to sign a peace accord with the MILF before the year ends.