PHILIPPINES MOSLEMS

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 38188, 30 March 1973, Page 14

PHILIPPINES MOSLEMS

r Discussions > planned *1 CV.Z.P..1. -Reuter—Copyright! ij BENGHAZI (Libya). ! The conference of Islamic! foreign ministers wound up I jin Benghazi on Tuesday after) (agreeing to send five of its) (members to Manila to dis-j I cuss with President Ferdin-j ) and Marcos’s Government the! [position of Moslems in his I country. j The final marathon session [was largely devoted to (amending a draft resolution on the subject. A conference [spokesman told journalists! [earlier that the ministers) (were considering sending a) [delegation to the Vatican. ) Philippine Government) | troops killed 200 rebels on) II Friday in a six-hour battle i against southern Moslem j I (secessionists, military auth-j’ , orities said in Manila. It was the biggest battle : reported between Governl ment forces and rebels since i President Ferdinand Marcos - declared martial law last : September. Brigadier-General Fidel > Ramos, chief of the National • Police, said the fighting took : place in Labangan, 560 miles ; south of Manila. The town is i in Zamboanga Del Sur Pro- - vince. one of the trouble i spots in the area where auth- : orities say Moslem secession- ) ists are active. General Ramos said that: Government forces, number-, ■ ing about 300 men, suffered: I two dead and seven wounded, i