Philippines Tells Rebel Group 'To Discipline Its Forces'

The Philippine government told a Muslim separatist group Monday that it needed to "discipline its forces" as the two sides met in Malaysia in efforts to thrash out a long-awaited peace agreement.

Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are striving to end a deadly decades-old insurgency in the southern Philippines through drawn-out peace negotiations which restarted in February.

In a statement, the Philippine government said it had deferred its submission of a peace deal proposal. The MILF put forward its draft at the last session, in April.