Fighting between government forces and Moro rebels erupted in the southern Philippines this week as government and rebel negotiators vowed to preserve gains made in the Mindanao peace process.
Government and rebel peace negotiators pledged to reaffirm their commitment "to stay the course of peace" on Feb. 12 at the end of a two-day meeting in Malaysia.
Both parties expressed "disappointment" over the nonpassage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which would have facilitated the creation of a new autonomous Muslim region in Mindanao.
The creation of the region was supposed to be part of a 2014 peace deal signed by both parties to end more than four decades of war in Mindanao.
In Mindanao a soldier and a Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebel died during a firefight on Feb. 10 in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, in Maguindanao province. A military spokesman said troops returned fire when fired upon by rebels.
On Feb. 11, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, which has pledged allegiance to the so-called Islamic State, attacked troops in Rajah Buayan town in the same province.
In a joint statement, the negotiators said "existing peace infrastructures ... remain functional for the next administration to carry forward the implementation of the agreement."