22:49
Tieng Anh Vui
Over 1,000 Philippine troops have been battling to drive MNLF rebels out of the city
Philippine Vice-President Jejomar Binay is to hold talks with Muslim rebels following five days of deadly clashes in the south of the country.
Both the government and the rebel Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) announced a truce would begin on Saturday in the city of Zamboanga.
The aim of the talks is to end a stand-off there, in which the rebels are holding at least 100 residents hostage.
More than 22 people have died in clashes since Monday in the city.
About 15,000 residents have been displaced by the violence.
On Friday Vice-President Binay said he had spoken spoke by telephone to MNLF leader Nur Misuari and Defence Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, who both agreed to suspend fighting.
Mr Misuari has set no conditions in exchange for agreeing to the ceasefire, he added.
"The details of a peaceful settlement can be thrashed out with a ceasefire in place,'' he told the Associated Press news .
'Overwhelming force'
President Benigno Aquino, who flew to Zamboanga on Friday, had earlier issued a warning to the rebels not to harm civilians.
He said government troops had "overwhelming" force and would not hesitate to use it.
Over 1,000 troops have been battling to drive MNLF rebels out of the city, who say they are fighting for an independent state.
Officials said the rebels set fire to many homes in the city on Friday as a possible diversionary tactic to try to escape amid shortages of food, supplies and ammunition.
The MNLF was founded by Nur Misuari in 1971, with the goal of fighting the Philippine state for an independent Islamic nation. The MNLF then signed a peace agreement with the government in 1996.
However Nur Misuari has complained that his faction has been marginalised in a peace agreement currently being negotiated between the government and another insurgent group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Last month, he declared an independent Muslim state in the southern Philippines..
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