Philippines: Breakaway rebel chief threatens peace deal

A ROGUE Muslim rebel commander in the Philippines has formed a separate faction of several hundred fighters and rejected peace talks to end a decades-long secessionist revolt.

However, the chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front insisted the breakaway faction would not prevent progress in negotiations with the government scheduled to resume next week.

Ameril Umbra Kato - wanted by the Philippine government for leading attacks on Christian communities in 2008 in which dozens of civilians were killed - resigned seven months ago as leader of a guerrilla unit, said the Front's chairman, Murad Ebrahim.

Chief rebel peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said Kato resigned as head of a guerrilla command, purportedly for health reasons. He is in his seventies.

Kato was to have been given a new assignment but instead accused the leadership of the Front of being "revisionist" and formed his own armed group, called the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

"It's a problem, and we are trying to address that because that kind of arrangement is not possible," Iqbal said. "There is only one command. We have only one organisation, and everybody must toe the line."

Peace talks brokered by Malaysia are scheduled to resume next week in Kuala Lumpur after they opened last month under the new government of president Benigno Aquino III. Ebrahim said he was still optimistic of a peace deal.