Philippine separatists may merge

Some MNLF fighters have been integrated with the military to combat other insurgent groups

By Rufi Vigilar

MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- Muslim separatist groups may merge following a rebel attack on a military camp in a remote southern province that killed at least 50 people on Monday, according to government officials.

A disgruntled faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) -- once the biggest Muslim secessionist group in the country -- reneged on its 1996 peace agreement with the government and has virtually declared a return to arms.

The military said the attack in Sulu province was meant to spoil coming elections in the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao, where former MNLF leader Nur Misuari stands to lose.

Misuari was named governor of the autonomous region but was ostracized by the government and his constituents after he was accused of mismanaging millions of funds allotted for the area.

A presidential adviser on the peace process, Eduardo Ermita, confirmed that Misuari's faction met with guerrilla commanders of another separatist group, the Abu Sayyaf.

In-Depth The Abu Sayyaf:  Militants in the Philippines

The Abu Sayyaf hostage crisis, now into its sixth month, has undermined the images of the military and the country's efforts to attract tourists and investors.

The group still holds two Americans and a Filipino hostage.

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Despite this, the government has dismissed the Abu Sayyaf as a bandit group that lives on kidnap-for-ransom activities.

But Washington has reason to believe that it has links with Osama bin Laden, whom it suspects of masterminding the September 11 terror attacks in the United States.

Bargaining chip

The military has confirmed a tactical alliance between the MNLF and the Abu Sayyaf

Observers also fear that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) might turn the attacks in Jolo into a bargaining chip in continuing peace talks with the government.

The MILF is a breakaway faction of the MNLF.

Since the MILF "has no straight command structure," the group could easily splinter into factions if they were not unified on the terms of a peace agreement, Ermita said.

However, Ermita said MILF members have assured the government that there was "no formal reunification of forces" between the separatist groups.

Key Muslim countries such as Libya and Malaysia have also assured the Philippine government they would not support any separatist moves, he added.

But Muslim congressman Benasing Macarambon told CNN, "the merger is not remote because they (MILF and the Misuari faction) have a common goal."

"That is for sure. They don't have to put that down in writing," Macarambon added.

The MILF and the MNLF have been fighting for decades for a separate Islamic state in the Southern Philippines.

Preventive suspension

The military has been placed on high alert and has been instucted to determine Misuari's whereabouts

The government is planning to put Misuari under "preventive suspension" as ARMM governor for the attacks in Jolo.

Misuari may also be arrested for sedition, "if there are enough witnesses to prove that he was behind the agitation in Jolo," Ermita added.

The government is still to discover whether Misuari has slipped out of the country or is hiding in Sulu, his home province.

Earlier, Misuari had threatened to revive his defunct organization should the government push ahead with its call for a plebiscite in the Autonomous Region.

But the government has offered reassurance that ARMM elections would go ahead next Monday, even as it will be deploying more military and police troops in Sulu and four other ARMM provinces.

"It will take Congress to pass a law this week for the elections to be postponed," Commission on Elections legal counsel Myra Quiambao told CNN.

Rebel violence has delayed ARMM elections three times, extending Misuari's term as governor.

Peacemaker role

In a related development, Malaysia has offered on Tuesday to help broker a fresh deal between the MNLF and the Philippine government.

"It doesn't serve the interests of the Muslims nor of the Philippine government to go against or to cast aside the peace agreement," said Najib.

"The time has come for us to be more concerned about the people of the south and the welfare of the people rather than continuing military conflict," he said.

Najib doubted the strength of Misuari's support base, adding he was not sure whether the Muslim rebel leader could sustain his campaign.