Philippine rebels release all hostages

The hostages will be turned over to their families soon, officials said

By Rufi Vigilar

MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- Muslim separatist rebels in the southern Philippines have released all of their 89 remaining hostages in exchange for safe passage through military forces that had surrounded them.

The rebels, who belong to a disgruntled faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and remain loyal to renegade governor Nur Misuari, had captured some 100 civilians during a retreat from government forces.

They released 21 hostages and begun negotiations with the government on Tuesday after they were enclosed inside a military cordon in Zamboanga City, some 800 km (497 miles) south of Manila.

Armed Forces spokesman General Edilberto Adan told CNN that the remaining hostages will be turned over to their families anytime soon.

Adan added that the military will then escort the rebels "across the border" of Zamboanga City to the neigboring province of Zamboanga del Sur. He declined to give the exact destination for security reasons.

Sources tell CNN that the destination could be toward Mount Taguite, some 75 km (47 miles) north of the city.

Arms handover

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General Adan also said that the rebels will turn over their arms to Alvarez Isnaji, the lead government negotiator and acting governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Midanao (ARMM).

"The arms are the property of the ARMM," Adan said.

On Tuesday, Zamboanga City mayor Maria Clara Lobregat said the government offered safe passage to the rebels but stressed "that they lay down their arms first" and release the hostages.

The hostage crisis followed a violent offensive by around 600 MNLF members last week on Philippine military camps in Jolo, southwest of Zamboanga, ending a five-year ceasefire.

Philippine forces, backed by air strikes, then pursued the rebels.

The death toll from the violence is in the hundreds, with the Associated Press reporting that 25 guerillas, one soldier and several others were killed in clashes on Tuesday.

Local elections

Officials say the violence was instigated by Misuari to try and prevent Monday's local elections for a new set of officials in the ARMM.

But the military was able to quell the violence in Jolo and pave the way for peaceful ARMM elections Monday.

Misuari was suspended as ARMM governor after the Jolo attack and faces rebellion charges in the Philippines.

Misuari fled the Philippines and was arrested and detained in Malaysia for illegal entry.

Although he signed a 1996 peace deal with the government and became ARMM governor Misuari recently renewed a call to arms.

He is protesting the government's decision to push through with Monday's polls, saying no sufficient consultation was held with the MNLF and the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), as agreed in the 1996 peace deal.