March 17, 2003, Sun Star General Santos, MILF, NPA admit 'tactical alliance', by Edwin G. Espejo,

GENERAL SANTOS -- Officials of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and communist New People's Army (NPA) admitted for the first time Thursday the existence of a tactical alliance between the two largest rebels groups in the country. 

Al Hadj Murad, MILF vice chairman for military affairs, and National Democratic Front (NDF)-Mindanao spokesman Jorge Madlos revealed the two groups entered into an alliance in July 1999 but did not give other details about the arrangement. 

Sources, however, said the two rebel groups provide sanctuary in their respective territories to the other's guerilla forces. 

Authorities claim the MILF supplies the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), with high-powered firearms in exchange for military and political guidance from the communist rebel group. 

Murad and Madlos, who both signed the documents establishing the alliance between the two rebel groups, were interviewed live over several radio stations in the city Saturday. 

The NPA has been waging a protracted war in the country for the last 34 years while the MILF has recently shifted to guerilla warfare after abandoning its semi-conventional military tactics. 

The MILF and the NPA are both operating in many areas in Mindanao.

They are said to have conducted several joint military exercises and tactical offensives. 

Against terrorism 

But both Murad and Madlos denied involvement in the deadly Davao airport bombing, which claimed the lives of over 20 people and injured about a hundred others, during a live hook-up interview. 

"Terrorism is against the principles of the revolutionary forces. The NDF and the MILF will not benefit from it," Madlos read from a prepared statement written in Tagalog. 

"We are against terrorism -- terrorism by the Abu Sayyaf, the US, and the military," added Madlos, who also said the military is using the spate of bombings as a pretext for seeking US intervention in Mindanao. 

Murad, on the other hand, asked Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to wait for the investigation on the bombing incident to be finished before accusing the MILF. 

"We understand the emotion of (Mayor Rodrigo) Duterte. We ourselves condemn the bombing. We have no intention of sabotaging the peace and tranquility in Davao City," Murad said. 

Madlos also said they would arrest suspects in the Davao blast and bring them to the NPA's revolutionary court. 

A spokesman of the military earlier claimed the MILF and the NPA were behind the Davao airport blast. 

Peace talks 

Both rebel leaders said they were willing to resume peace negotiations with the government provided it honored previous agreements it entered into with the MILF and CPP. 

"We are open to the resumption of the peace talks if we are convinced the government is serious," said Murad. 

Also during the interview, Cagayan de Oro Mayor Vicente Emano asked both rebel groups to go back to the negotiating table. 

The MILF and the government forged a ceasefire agreement in Jakarta two years ago. 

Just recently, MILF chairman Salamat Hashim said the group would no longer honor the agreement after the military overran a Moro rebel stronghold in Buliok, Maguindanao late last month. 

The MILF said all efforts to resume the peace talks should be coursed through the Malaysian government. 

On the other hand, the NDF insists that the joint declaration signed between it and the government in Hague, the Netherlands during the Ramos administration should be implemented before the group would think about going back to the negotiating table. 

Peace talks between the government and the NDF was suspended two years ago after NPA hitmen assassinated several government officials.