The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas gave themselves up Friday and surrendered their firearms to the army near the town of Tipo-Tipo in Basilan island, it said.

Their surrender came just as President Gloria Arroyo was in the middle of a week-long tour to check on security and economic development in southern Mindanao island, where the MILF has been waging a 25-year separatist rebellion.

Peace talks with the MILF have been stalled by deadly attacks and skirmishes in the south.

Arroyo had blamed the rebels for a series of bombings that have killed about 100 since March and subsequently ordered punitive strikes to flush them out of villages they have occupied.

WAR.WIRE