THE secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front is not going to return to the negotiating table unless the government agrees to sign the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain which, among others, creates a Muslim homeland in the South.

"We should sign the MOA-AD and then we’ll just discuss the final settlement," said chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal.

Malacañang said it is standing pat on its decision not to sign the MOA.

The signing of the agreement early August was stopped by the Supreme Court which is hearing petitions questioning on its constitutionality. The proposed Muslim homeland will include areas outside the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The government abandoned the MOA when it when it reached the Supreme Court and after MILF base commanders attacked civilian communities in several parts of Central Mindanao.

It also announced a shift in policy in dealing with armed rebel groups from peace negotiations to consultations with stakeholders focused on "disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR)."

President Arroyo then dissolved the government panel in the peace talks with the MILF.

Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said the only way the government would resume peace talks is if the MILF leadership surrenders the three base commanders and assures the safety of civilians. The talks, he said, would be in the context of DDR.

Among those calling for the resumption of peace talks is the European Union, which pointed to the growing number of civilian casualties in the military offensive against the three commanders — Ameril Umbra Kato, Abdulrahman Macapaar alias Bravo, and Aleem Pangalian.

Igbal welcomed the European Union’s call. "As a matter of fact, the MILF (negotiating) panel is still there but the government has disbanded its panel. We welcome the resumption of peace talks but we should abide by the procedure from which the Philippine government has turned its back," he said.

The procedure he was referring to was the signing of the MOA before proceeding to the next agenda in the peace talks.

"If they want to return, they should understand first the procedure. When it comes to war, we are just defending ourselves," Iqbal said.

Iqbal said the MILF would not renegotiate the MOA, and neither would it surrender the three commanders.

"They (government) are the ones who violated the procedure and yet they are the ones who are making preconditions. That will not happen," said Iqbal.

Kato’s group attacked 15 barangays in North Cotabato in July. Bravo and Pangalian are being held responsible for attacks in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, and Sarangani in September, which left at least 28 civilians dead.

The government has put up a P10 million reward each for Kato and Bravo and P5 million for Pangalian.

Iqbal said the MILF’s optimism that an agreement would be signed under the Arroyo government "is waning."

The military said that since August 10, when troops drove away Kato’s group in North Cotabato, a total of 151 MILF-related incidents have been recorded.

Of the total, 99 were encounters between government and MILF forces while the rest were harassment by the MILF, targeting both the military and civilian communities, said Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, chief of the AFP public information office.

Torres said the incidents resulted in the deaths of 27 soldiers and eight militiamen while 137 soldiers and 10 militiamen were injured.