Government troops clashed with Muslim separatist rebels in the southern Philippines on Tuesday, leaving two insurgents and one soldier dead, the military and the rebels said. A group of soldiers, police and government militia were investigating the killings of two civilians in southern Maguindanao province's Datu Ampatuan town when they were fired upon by rebels of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, military spokesman Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero said. The government and the MILF have signed a cease-fire, but negotiators were still working on a political settlement to end three decades of Muslim insurgency in the southern Philippines. Lucero said the military had reported the incident to the government-MILF cease-fire coordinating committee, adding: "We're hoping that this incident won't derail the peace process." Rebel spokesman Eid Kabalu said the shootout was connected to a family feud within the predominantly Muslim community, which may have involved some MILF members and government militia. "This has no bearing at all (on the peace talks) unless the military blows it out of proportion," Kabalu said in a telephone interview.
