Arroyo wants rebel leaders to abandon bomb plots

President Gloria Arroyo has asked the leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to abandon the bomb plots they had planned earlier, now that government and MILF negotiators are about to start peace talks in Malaysia.

"I call on the leadership of the MILF about these discoveries: if you know about this, you must put a stop to these activities if you truly want the peace talks to continue," she said in her regular radio programme.

"As we are preparing for peace talks, now is the time for the MILF to cut clean by deed of terrorists, purge its army of terrorist weapons and engage in principled negotiations shorn of deception," Arroyo said, adding that government soldiers would remain on alert in case of attacks from the separatist group.

Meanwhile, the government has drawn up a five-phase peace process that would lead to the signing of a peace deal between the two sides.

The peace initiative includes the preparatory phase of the talks, the declaration of a ceasefire, the formal negotiations, conclusion of the talks, and the signing of the final agreement.

The Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security has approved the schedule of the talks.

Meanwhile, Eid Kabalu, the MILF spokesman said the group has welcomed the government initiative.

"We welcome this development and we are optimistic that a peace agreement could be reached so there won't be fighting anymore. It is time to move forward together and have peace in our land," Kabalu said.