The head of Philippine military forces promised today he would chase down Muslim rebels who attacked two towns in the south, killing at least 34 people, most of them civilians.
Hundreds of Muslim guerrillas attacked two towns in the Mindanao region yesterday, burning homes, raiding banks and forcing thousands to flee, officials said.
Yesterday's attack was the bloodiest since a peace deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) stalled earlier this month and comes just days after government troops ended an offensive against MILF rebels in another part of Mindanao.
"You all know we have bent as far backward (as possible) to give peace a chance," military chief Gen. Alexander Yano said on radio today.
"The patience of our soldiers in trying to uphold the primacy of the peace process is very commendable but at some point we really have to act decisively."
The military said 26 civilians and eight soldiers were killed in the fighting in Kolambugan and Kauswagan towns in the province of Lanao del Norte. Dozens of civilians were used as human shields and some of them were shot dead by retreating rebels.
Many of the country's Muslim minority live in Mindanao, but the towns and cities, most of which are on the coast, are dominated by Christians.
The MILF leadership has distanced itself from the latest attacks.
"We regret the loss of lives and property in Lanao del Norte, but we would to emphasise that the MILF leadership has not authorised these actions," spokesman Eid Kabalu said, adding that th MILF remained committed to peace.
Gen Yano said the MILF leaders had no control over field commanders.
"If they can't control them, the government will certainly control them and we will undertake our mandate to protect the people and the communities and we cannot renege on that constitutional mandate," he said.
"We will pursue and take aggressive action against the perpetrators of the dastardly acts committed against innocent civilians."
Last week, the military bombed MILF positions for four straight days, resulting in an exodus of an estimated 160,000 people, after accusations that the rebels had occupied Christian-owned farmlands.
The situation on the ground has deteriorated rapidly since the Supreme Court earlier this month halted a territorial deal between the MILF and Manila that was meant to re-open formal peace talks to end a conflict that has killed more than 120,000 people.
Hawks on both sides have seized on the stalling of the peace moves to re-ignite fighting that has been mostly dormant since 2003.
Legal experts expect the court will rule that the agreement, which gives a future government of an expanded Muslim homeland wide political and economic powers, is unconstitutional.
Reuters