Twelve killed in second deadly Philippines attack

MANILA, Philippines -- Suspected Muslim rebels ambushed a Canadian company's workers in the southern Philippines on Thursday, killing 12 and injuring 10, the military said.

It was the second deadly attack on Mindanao island this week. On Christmas Eve, a bomb made from an 81 mm mortar shell filled with nail fragments exploded outside the home of a town's mayor, killing 17 people.

It was not clear if there was a link between the incidents, which occurred roughly two days and 100 miles apart.

The military blamed both attacks on rebels from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Rebel spokesman Eid Kabalu denied any involvement, saying "We don't kill innocent people; besides, the MILF is currently negotiating peace with the government."

The isolated, impoverished southern Philippines is home to Muslim guerrillas fighting for self-rule in this predominantly Christian island nation. But the area is also populated by Muslim tribesmen armed with unlicensed weapons, and clan fighting and personal conflicts abound.

In Thursday's attack, dozens of Filipino employees were ambushed by gunmen as they rode in Zamboanga del Norte province.

Police say the MILF had been extorting money from the workers' employer, the Calgary-based mining firm Toronto Ventures Inc. Pacific.

The Catholic charity Caritas-Philippines says the Canadian mining company has been harassing tribesmen opposed to mining operations on their ancestral lands, where many of their dead are buried.

Company officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

In the Christmas Eve attack in Datu Piang, a small town in Maguindanao province, authorities said Thursday they have detained four suspects.

A local army commander blamed MILF rebels, although the regional police chief said initially it was possible that clan rivalries had prompted the attack.

MILF spokesman Kabalu said his forces pulled out of Zamboanga del Norte in June after government troops killed a key leader of the Abu Sayyaf, a smaller but more violent Muslim group linked with al-Qaida.

Guerrillas from the communist New People's Army also operate in the area, along with the Abu Sayyaf and the MILF.

Some military and government officials have accused the MILF of supporting the terrorist activities of the Abu Sayyaf, which is notorious for kidnapping and beheading foreigners and Filipinos. MILF leaders have denied any links.

The Muslim insurgency began three decades ago. Peace talks between the MILF and the government were suspended in October but are expected to resume next month in Malaysia. The two sides signed a shaky 1997 truce.

Earlier this year, the United States sent more than 1,000 soldiers for a joint U.S.-Philippine anti-terrorism training exercise in the southern Philippines. It has been credited with helping Filipino troops break up the Abu Sayyaf and track down key leaders.

The six months of maneuvers ended in July, and only about 272 U.S. soldiers stayed on. Most are stationed in Zamboanga for a humanitarian mission on nearby Basilan Island, once the center of Abu Sayyaf operations.