5 days before SONA, Arroyo halts offensives vs MILF rebs

Five days before her last State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines Thursday to stop its offensives against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels in a bid to restart peace talks, a move welcomed by the guerrillas. Talks with the MILF broke down last year, when the government accused the rebels of launching attacks on several villages in Mindanao after the Supreme Court threw out a preliminary peace deal. Chief government negotiator Rafael Seguis said Mrs. Arroyo's order is aimed at providing a conducive atmosphere for the resumption of talks.

He said it would also allow some 300,000 displaced civilians to return to their homes and farms in the southern Philippines, where Muslims have been fighting for self-rule in Mindanao for decades. “This is a step in the right direction. We’re right on track. The prospects are bright. We're laying one brick at a time for the resumption of the talks. We're still very hopeful that talks can resume," Seguis said in a text message. However, Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño suspects that Mrs. Arroyo is “just after nice soundbites" for her SONA speech. “After the SONA, where she will claim gains in the peace process with the MILF and NDF (National Democratic Front), the peace process will again flounder," he said. Political analyst Ramon Casiple echoed Casiño's view in discounting the sincerity of Mrs. Arroyo’s move. “It’s all media-hype. I’m sure her decision will not change the situation in Mindanao. Undoubtedly, she is creating a situation that is favorable to her SONA," Casiple, executive director of the non-government Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, told GMANews.TV in an interview Thursday. Casiple likewise observed Mrs. Arroyo’s recent “low-profile" image, which he said could be an attempt to distance herself from the unpopular decisions of her administration. “Being silent and away from controversies could also be a way to prop up her image," said Casiple. Government troops "shall suspend all offensive operations in the conflict-affected areas ... and revert to active defense mode," said Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, the most senior Cabinet member. He said, however, that the police force would continue hunting down three rebel commanders accused of reigniting the clashes last August, when the guerrillas rampaged through coastal communities in the central Mindanao region, leaving scores of people dead. It was still not clear when the Malaysian-brokered talks will resume, said chief rebel negotiator Mohagher Iqbal. "That's a good step on the part of the military because after all they are the ones on the offensive in Mindanao. They should make the first move," he said. He also cautioned that "suspension is very easy to declare but what is more important is compliance." The rebels would order their field commanders to hold fire starting Saturday, he said. The two sides signed a cease-fire in 2003, which has largely held until last August. Separately, the Philippine military recently sent hundreds of troops to neighboring Basilan and Jolo islands to launch a major new offensive on the al-Qaeda-linked Islamist group, the Abu Sayyaf. The government has not held peace talks with Abu Sayyaf, which is considered a terrorist organization. - Jam Sisante, GMANews.TV/AP