Date: May 2003

Peace Talks Called Off

In a quick response to last weekend's attacks on Siocon town, an attack which appears to have deliberately targeted civilians, the government announced on Monday, that it would offer a "dead or alive" P50 million bounty for information that would lead to the capture of the top MILF leadership. Five MILF leaders each now have a P5 million bounty on their head. These are MILF Chair, Salamat Hashim; Vice-chairs Al Haj Murad and Gazzali Jaafar (concurrently head of Political Affairs), MILF lawyer Ali Mimbancal and spokesperson Eid Kabalu. It is believed that most of these leaders live in and around Cotabato City and nearby towns of Maguindanao.

A further P25 million has been offered as reward money for the arrest of the perpetrators of the Maigo and Siocon attacks.

The following day, President Arroyo announced that she had instructed the government's negotiating team to inform the Malaysian Government that it wished to postpone the exploratory talks planned for this week until a more auspicious time. Presidential Assistant for Mindanao, Jesus Dureza, and the chief government negotiator declared "the time was not longer ripe for talking peace."

Concurrently, the US Ambassador in Manila announced that the United States might declare the MILF a terrorist organization. His unilateral public announcement irked many local people who saw it as interference in local affairs but was welcomed by administration officials. His view appears to be in line with current government thinking and the latest bomb attack in Koronadal City, South Cotabato (see below) seems likely to hasten such a declaration.

The NPA, the Abu Sayyaf and the Pentagon gang were all declared to be terrorist organizations by the US Government last year.

For its part the AFP has announced that it was shifting its strategies from "active defense" mode to "punitive" mode and is stepping up its offensive operations in Mindanao.

On May 10, a further bombing in Koronadal City, South Cotabato killed nine people and wounded 41 others. At this stage it is unclear whether the bomb was the work of the MILF and a spokesperson for the group has already denied responsibility. However, government officials have pointed out that this latest bombing which follows the twin bombings in Davao bears all the trademarks of an MILF attack.

At least 83 people have been killed and hundreds more wounded during the course of the fighting in Mindanao since March this year.

Click Here to View Complete Listing of Special Reports