The government has dropped terrorism charges against nearly 200 MILF members in the last week, as a gesture that will encourage the peace talks (which resume in October).  But another clash with MILF today left 12 soldiers and two rebels dead. While government and MILF leaders want peace, there's more violence the farther down the ranks you go.

Meanwhile, the communist NPA rebels continue to fight, both the police and each other. The NPA is undergoing ones of its periodic internal disputes, with dissenting NPA leaders and members being hunted down and killed.