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| Southeast Asia |
| Philippines, MILF sign election accord |
| 2013-04-25 |
| Security forces began implementing Wednesday the election agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to ensure safe and fair elections on May 13. Tension has been rising in Maguindanao, triggered by the reported “endorsements” of a senior, allegedly apolitical, MILF military official, of candidates of the United Nationalist Alliance. The reported partisanship of a top MILF official contradicted the earlier assurance of neutrality of the insurgent group’s central committee. Many MILF ground commanders have been attending the political appearances of candidates of the Liberal Party in Maguindanao after their chief negotiator, Muhaquer Iqbal, announced two weeks ago that they would allow guerrillas to back candidates who support the Mindanao peace process. Many peace advocates are worried about possible repercussions from an animosity between the top MILF official campaigning for UNA candidates and the group’s ground commanders and guerrillas backing the candidacy of LP members for local and provincial positions. |
| Posted by:ryuge |