MILF fighters defecting to other rebel groups in Mindanao: MNLF

COTABATO, Philippines (Xinhua) - Ground fighters of rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are defecting to other rebel groups as they do not want to surrender their weapons, a spokesman of the rebel group Moro National Liberation Front ( MNLF) said today.

MNLF spokesman Absolum Cerveza told Xinhua in a telephone interview that nearly 70 percent of MILF's rank and file "defected " after the signing of the Normalization Annex which is part of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro. The last annex calls for members of the MILF to surrender their weapons.

Cerveza said he is in "close contact" with a senior leader of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a rebel group which broke away from the MILF. He said the BIFF is hosting MILF fighters who recently defected.

"It (defection) is an alarming situation. The BIFF sought our guidance as to how it will handle the issue. These MILF soldiers said they are determined not to follow the agreement. I think they will not surrender their firearms for nothing," said Cerveza.

The Normalization Annex provides for the creation of an independent decommissioning body (IDB), comprised of three foreign and four local experts jointly nominated by the Philippine government and the MILF. A foreign expert will head the body.

The IDB will oversee the decommissioning of MILF's armed wing the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, including the inventory and verification of their fighters and weapons. It will plan and implement techniques for weapons collection, transport and storage.

BIFF spokesman Abu Misry Mama confirmed that their group had new members from the MILF.