The Philippines government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front(MILF) have vowed to continue pursuing peace despite the bloody clash inMindanao on January 25 that left 44 policemen and 18 Muslim rebelsdead.

Government Chief Negotiator MiriamCoronel-Ferrer told a press briefing on January 31 after two-day talksin Kuala Lumpur that disarming the MILF rebels, a necessary move ofpeace progress, will start with the handover of 75 guns in March.

Meanwhile, MILF Chief Negotiator Mohagher Iqbal also reiterated hiscommitment to the peace process, regarding the disarming as his group’s“sacrifice”.

The disarming is one of three main agreements in an effort of both sides to exhibit great trust after Mindanao incident.

They will hold a conference on February that focuses on dealing withcrime and terrorism in order to strengthen the security cooperationbetween the government and the MILF.

The two sidesalso agreed to extend the stay of the International Monitoring Team andthe joint action force against crime and terrorism for another year.

The Philippines’ Government signed an agreement with the MILF, thelargest rebel group in the south, in March 2014, ending a 45-yearconflict that has killed more than 120,000 people and displaced another 2million.

The deal, which was attained with Malaysiaplaying as an intermediary, facilitates the establishment of anautonomous Muslim region by mid-2016 in return for the Muslim group of120,000 rebels surrendering their weapons.

Accordingly, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which is composedof five provinces in the Southern Philippines, will be calledBangsamoro instead and offered greater economic and political power.

It will pave the way for the government to stimulate the growth in one of the poorest regions in the country.-VNA