MILF leader captured in South RP

COTABATO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / September 22, 2009) – Philippines security forces captured Tuesday a senior leader of the country’s largest Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, in the troubled region of Mindanao, officials told the Mindanao Examiner.

Army spokesman Colonel Jonathan Ponce said a joint team of soldiers and policemen captured Camarudin Hadji Ali alias Commander Mudi at the house of one his wives in Cotabato City after a long intelligence and surveillance operations.

“Ali is a leader of the MILF’s 105th Base Command under Ameril Umbra Kato, who are both wanted for a series of deadly attacks last year in Mindanao,” said Ponce.

The rebel leader has a bounty of more than a million pesos for his capture.

There was no immediate statement from the MILF which is currently negotiating peace with Manila. The MILF is fighting the past three decades for self-determination.

Peace talks collapsed in August last year after rebel and government negotiators failed to sign a homeland deal which the Supreme Court ruled as unconstitutional.

President Gloria Arroyo resumed the peace talks this year in an effort to put an end to bloody fighting in Mindanao. (Mindanao Examiner)