Afable: Manila did not violate interim accord with MILF

The Philippine government has not violated the interim agreements it signed with the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) with the deployment of Filipino soldiers in Camp Abubakar, a former MILF headquarters in Maguindanao, southern Philippines, a senior official said.

"The soldiers are deployed in the camp to ensure the safe return of the Filipino-Muslims who were displaced by the two-year civil war in the area," said acting Press Secretary, Silvestre Afable.

"The government did not violate any of the interim agreements signed with the MILF with the deployment of soldiers in the former MILF camp," stated Afable.

Referring to the 50-hectare clearing where MILF Chairman Hashim Selamat reportedly trained MILF fighters, Afable noted that only the Philippine flag will be hoisted in the area.

The 10,000-hectare Camp Abubakar covers three towns - Barira, Buldon, and Matanog - in Maguindanao.

The MILF said Arroyo's plan was a violation of the ceasefire agreement signed by both camps at the start of the talks in 1997, and in Libya in 2001.

In turn, the southern command complained that the MILF has violated the ceasefire agreement because it has been recruiting members.

The 10,000-strong MILF has close to 100,000 fire-arms that include its signature powerful Rocket-Propelled Grenade launchers, mortars, machine guns, M-14 and armalite rifles, sources said.

Meanwhile, MILF spokesman, Eid Kabalu, confirmed that some MILF men had assisted the U.S. government in fighting the Russians in Afghanistan in the 1980s.

The Front sent some of its fighters to train in Afghanistan and help fellow Muslims there stop the Russian invasion, Kabalu said.

"That was part of a joint effort by Muslim countries throughout the world to fight the invading Russians," Kabalu explained.

Some of those who trained there are now high-ranking members of the MILF, said Kabalu. He did not give more details.

Military reports said more than 1,000 Moro rebels were sent to Afghanistan.