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Philippine Gov't, MILF Defer Signing of Peace Deal
The Philippine government and the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) deferred Monday the signing of an initial peace deal in Malaysia as the parties continued the talks, a TV station reported.
Both peace panels from the government and the MILF earlier expressed optimism that a peace agreement would be initialized by 6 p.m. (1000 GMT) Monday, the ABS-CBN news channel said.
The Malaysian Foreign Ministry, which is hosting the talks, had reportedly said earlier that a peace pact would be inked on Monday, the eve of Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's three- day visit to Malaysia.
Earlier reports said Arroyo would witness the official signing of the peace agreement during her visit to Malaysia, her first trip abroad since she took office in January.
Presidential spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said Monday the president will not likely witness the scheduled signing of the peace agreement in Kuala Lumpur.
Peace negotiators of the Philippine government and the MILF began a second round of talks in Malaysia on July 24 to discuss implementing guidelines of a ceasefire agreement they signed in Tripoli, Libya, in June when they resumed formal peace talks.
Peace talks collapsed last year after former President Joseph Estrada launched an all-out war on the 12,500-strong MILF, which has been fighting for more than two decades for an independent Islamic state in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao.
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