Military

DATE=05/19/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=PHILIPPINES/REBELS (L-O)

NUMBER=2-303373

BYLINE=RON CORBEN

DATELINE=BANGKOK

CONTENT=

VOICED AT=

INTRO: The Philippine military reports it has killed dozens of rebels in its latest campaign against Muslim separatists in the southern provinces. But as Ron Corben reports, the main rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, says it remains committed to the peace process.

TEXT: The Philippines armed forces struck for a third day against camps of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Philippine army spokesman Colonel Daniel Lucero says the offensive has left dozens of Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerillas dead since Saturday.

/// ACT 1 COLONEL DANIEL LUCERO ///

Reports from our field units in Mindanao say there are already 60 M-I-L-F members died in this first salvo of the bombing and artillery attack.

/// END ACT ///

Colonel Lucero says the offensive is against Moro Islamic Liberation Front "terrorist cells," suspected in recent attacks against civilians. The government says more than 200 people have died in bombings and other attacks this year.

/// ACT 2 COLONEL LUCERO ///

This military offensive is directed against those perpetrators -- those terrorist cells within the M-I-L-F, who perpetrated these killings and massacres of innocent civilians last month in Lanao del Norte, in Mindinao, and in Siocon, in Zamboanga del Norte.

/// ENDS ACT ///

In a raid earlier this month, at least 10 civilians and 12 soldiers and police were killed in Siocon. More than 13 civilians also died, after guerillas attempted to overrun an area in Lanao del Norte province.

A rebel spokesman, Eid Kabalu, says the group has not suffered casualties, and warns it will retaliate, if the offensive continues.

/// ACT 1 EID KABALU ///

If you are attacked, it is our right to defend ourselves. That is always the case, because we maintain a defensive posture.

/// ENDS ACT ///

Mr. Kabalu says the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is committed to the peace process, and calls for the government to honor an earlier cease-fire agreement.

The cease-fire collapsed in February, following a government offensive against rebel camps where it said criminals were hiding.

/// ACT 2 KABALU ///

The peace talks . that is the policy of the M-I-L-F to resolve the Mindinao problem through peaceful means, and the use of force is only used as a last resort.

/// ENDS ACT ///

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front has been fighting for almost three decades to establish an Islamic state in the southern region of the largely Roman Catholic Philippines. (SIGNED)

NEB/HK/RC/KPD/TW/rae