Muslim separatists yesterday finally bowed to government and military pressure by signing a 'general cessation of hostilities', dropping all preconditions.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front - considered the second biggest threat to national security - also promised to resume peace talks on July 30, with its second biggest camp still in government hands and the main camp surrounded by soldiers.
It was the first time the Front had formally bound itself to such a pact, covering the island of Mindanao and, technically, the entire country. The Front's vice-chairman for political affairs, Ghazali Jaafar, signed the two-page agreement.
Hours earlier, rebels fired at a rice warehouse in Pikit, North Cotabato. In Aleosan, Cotabato, 20 rebels sparked a traffic jam when they asked residents to leave the area so they could blow up a bridge linking Cotabato City to Davao City. But the rebels fled, firing their guns, when police and soldiers arrived.
More incidents could take place over the weekend before the agreement takes effect. The rebels promised from Monday 'to resume and proceed with the formal peace talks'.
They also agreed the Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities would meet on July 30 'to draw up and finalise the guidelines and ground rules for the implementation of the agreement'.
The general cease-fire was signed by Jaafar and government chief negotiator Fortunato Abat in a Christian-dominated city far from the fighting. Presidential Executive Secretary Ruben Torres and Defence Secretary Renato de Villa 'attested' to it.