MANILA – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is open to the idea of helping the government deal with the Maute group.

A joint statement from the government and MILF quoted MILF chairman Alhaj Murad Ebrahim as saying that they welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s idea for its forces to extend “humanitarian assistance to civilians which are still trapped” in Marawi City.

“Modalities of cooperation would be established between the government of the Philippines and MILF,” the statement read.

In a speech in Sulu last Saturday, Duterte said fighters from the MILF, Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and New People’s Army (NPA) may help the government fight the Maute terrorists, promising them the “same pay and same privileges” as what soldiers and policemen get.

Duterte said in his speech that MNLF founding chairman Nur Misuari has already agreed to send some of his troops to help government forces in Marawi.

According to the joint statement, the peace mechanisms of the government peace panel and the MILF will be used in determining how the Moro group will extend its assistance.

Clashes between government troops and Islamist militants erupted following a failed attempt to arrest Hapilon at an apartment in Barangay Basak Malutlut, Marawi City.

The violence prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to put Mindanao under martial law.

In explaining his move to Congress, which has the power to overturn his martial law proclamation, Duterte cited the terrorists’ goal of taking over Mindanao and establish an Islamic State (ISIS) province in the Philippines.

Hapilon has allegedly been designated as the leader of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia, but Philippine military officials say ISIS has yet to recognize Hapilon and Abu Sayyaf as part of the international terror group.

DRAFT BANGSAMORO LAW OUT NEXT MONTH

Duterte and the MILF leaders also discussed the crafting of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) which will establish an autonomous Bangsamoro entity in Mindanao.

During the meeting, Duterte urged the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), which is tasked to craft the proposed measure, to fast-track its work.

BTC chair and MILF First Vice-Chairman Ghazali Jaafar expressed confidence that the draft BBL would be completed by next month.

The BBL would enforce the breakthrough Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, signed by the Philippine government and the MILF in March 2014.

Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza earlier said the transition commission has until July 2017 to draft the proposed measure in time for the resumption of Congress' session and the president’s second State of the Nation Address in July.

He had said he does not expect the commission to have a hard time drafting new legislation as the old Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which failed to pass Congress in the wake of the Mamasapano clash in January 2015, "will probably be the basic document."

Legal experts, including former magistrates, had said the junked BBL contained unconstitutional provisions, including those that would allow the Bangsamoro to create its own Commission on Elections, Commission on Audit, and Civil Service Commission.

The Duterte government is also pursuing parallel negotiations with the Misuari faction of the MNLF. All these efforts are being carried out along with the government’s push to establish a federal form of government.