Philippine separatists ask for poll delay

Mindanao: A major separatist group called for the postponement of the local elections in the autonomous region for Muslims in the southern Philippines next month, to allow the resumption of formal peace talks between government negotiators and the group, a rebel negotiator said.

"The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panel had asked Secretary Rodolfo Garcia, the Philippine government's chief negotiator, to postpone the forthcoming election in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on August 11 in deference to the ongoing government-MILF peace talks," said Mohagher Iqbal, the MILF chief peace negotiator.

Secretary Garcia promised to do his "best efforts" to work for the postponement of the election.