The government signed a peace deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, under which the group gives up its goal of an independent state in exchange for power and wealth-sharing in a new autonomous region. Two days earlier, MILF rebels attacked a police station in Marawi City, taking the police chief hostage, killing a civilian, and freeing a number of MILF prisoners; the MILF political affairs chief called it an isolated incident. A military official said the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf is still holding 17 hostages in Sulu, including foreigners; a Jordanian hostage escaped or was released a few days ago.
