Muslim rebels hold Manila's military chief hostage

Manila, Feb 3: Muslim separatists in the southern Philippinesare holding Manila's military chief, the head of the government's trucepanel, a colonel and an undetermined number of soldiers hostage, seniormilitary sources said today.

Members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) were refusingto let Brigadier-General Ben Dolorfino, the commander of militaryforces in the capital, and Ramon Santos, government undersecretary forthe peace process with the MNLF, leave their camp until their jailedfounder was released.

Local media reported that more than 20 senior military, defenceand government officials were being held at the MNLF's camp nearPanamao town on Jolo island, 950 km south of Manila but senior militarysources, who declined to be identified, would only confirm threehostages.

Dolorfino, a Muslim convert who had flown to Jolo for talks with the MNLF, told reporters by text message that he was safe.

''Sorry I can't comment. Just wait for the policymakers to speak,'' he said.

A military spokesman declined to comment.

The governor of Sulu, an archipelago that includes Jolo, said alocal MNLF commander, Habier Malik, had refused to allow Dolorfino,Santos and 11 others to leave yesterday until their leader, NurMisuari, was released from detention in Manila.

Misuari was jailed in 2002 for rebellion after the breakdown of a peace deal the MNLF signed with the government in 1996.

The Philippines is a largely Catholic country but has a sizeableMuslim minority in the south, where a decades-old conflict betweenIslamic separatists and government troops has killed over 120,000people.

The MNLF is the oldest of four Muslim rebel groups in thePhilippines. Disillusionment with the implementation of the 1996 peacedeal has encouraged some members to defect to other groups such as theAbu Sayyaf and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Misuari's followers want him to go to Saudi Arabia this month fora meeting of government officials, rebel leaders and the Organisationof the Islamic Conference to review progress of the peace deal, whichthey argue has not been properly implemented.

Dolorfino, former deputy commander of the Philippines's southern forces, is the highest-ranked Muslim in the armed forces.

Reuters>