Toll in clash with Muslim rebels rises to 24 in Philippines

By Girlie Linao Oct 19, 2011, 8:37 GMT

Manila - The death toll in a clash between government troops and Muslim rebels rose to 24 as government and rebel peace negotiators on Wednesday expressed hope the incident would not affect the peace talks.

The Philippine military said it recovered six soldiers' bodies a day after Tuesday's clash with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in Albarka town in Basilan province, 900 kilometres south of Manila.

Army chief Lieutenant General Arturo Ortiz said the six bodies recovered were not killed during the fighting but were executed by the rebels after they were captured.

'We got reports that they (six soldiers) were captured, disarmed and murdered,' he said.

Ortiz said that he relieved the army commander in Basilan of his post to pave the way for an impartial investigation into the incident.

The recovery of the bodies brought to 19 the total number of soldiers killed in the firefight.

Ortiz said troops were still searching for one soldier who remained missing. Thirteen soldiers were wounded.

Ghazali Jaafar, the MILF's vice chairman, said five guerrillas were killed in the fighting that erupted when soldiers allegedly entered a MILF camp without proper coordination.

Jaafar urged a joint committee of the government and the MILF that oversees a 2004 ceasefire to immediately investigate the incident so as not to affect the ongoing peace talks.

'The incident has to be resolved immediately and fairly in order not to affect the peace talks,' he said.

Marvic Leonen, the government's chief peace negotiator, described the clash as isolated and expressed hope the incident would not affect the negotiations.

'We are saddened to receive news from Basilan about a misencounter,' he said. 'We are certain that this is an isolated incident. This armed confrontation was not intended by both government and the MILF.'

'The government panel in talks with the MILF is preparing for a meeting with its counterparts next month,' he said.

President Benigno Aquino III said he would meet top defence and military officials Friday to tackle the issue.

The 12,000-strong MILF has been fighting for an independent Islamic state in the southern Philippines since 1978. It entered into peace negotiations with the Philippine government in 1997.