Welcome to the MILF army: The unfortunately named Muslim rebel group patrolling the jungles of the Philippines



Moro Islamic Liberation Front is tasked with peace keeping in Mindanao



Its acronym joins other unfortunate abbreviations - such as BAAPS, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons



But despite its name, MILF is a deadly serious organisation



Former terrorist group on roadmap to peace settlement with government



As abbreviations go, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front's has got to be among the most unfortunate.



But this didn't stop members of the former Muslim rebel group from patrolling the jungles of the Philippines today ahead of the country's contentious general elections.



MILF joins countless other organisations with unfortunate acronyms - such as BAAPS, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.



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MILFS: Members of the armed group Moro Islamic Liberation Front take a rest inside a hut as they secure the perimeter to help maintain a peaceful election against other lawless elements in Shariff Aguak, Philippines

But despite the associations that may come with its abbreviated name, MILF is a deadly serious organisation.



MILF is a splinter group of Muslim rebels from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) formed in the 1960s to achieve greater Bangsamoro autonomy in the southern Philippines.

It has used terrorist tactics to try and force greater independence on the region and declared a jihad against the government, its citizens and supporters.

MILF, which was officially formed in the 1980s, has also been linked to Al Qaeda and a bombing incident in Davao Airport in 2003.

In March 2007, the Philippine government offered to recognize the right of self-determination for the Moro people which it had never done in three decades of conflict.

The Muslim militant group MILF joins one of many organisations around the world with unfortunate acronyms

But later that year in July, Islamic militants in Basilan in the southern Philippines killed 14 marines. MILF denied responsibility for the murders.



This delayed the start of the peace process but MILF and the Philippine government took the first tentative steps last year toward ending one of Asia's longest-running insurgencies.

Both parties signed a preliminary peace pact with a roadmap to a final peace settlement expected by 2016.

As part of the arrangement, MILF is responsible for maintaining peace on Mindanao island to prevent civil unrest during the congressional and local elections in the Philippines.



More than 52 million voters registered to elect 18,000 officials, including half of the 24-member Senate, nearly 300 members of the House of Representatives and leaders of a Muslim autonomous region in the south, where Islamic insurgents and militants are a concern.



Task force: MILF is a Muslim rebel group located in the southern Philippines which now has the agreement with the Philippine government to maintain peace in Mindanao island

Despite scattered killings and fears of fraud, the polls were relatively peaceful as soldiers and police secured stations in potentially violent areas.



The outcome will determine the level of support for President Benigno Aquino III's reforms in his remaining three years in office. Aquino has been praised at home and abroad for cracking down on widespread corruption, backing key legislation and concluding an initial peace agreement with Muslim rebels - including MILF.



But he cannot run for re-election and a choice of his successor, who will be expected to continue on the same reform path, will depend on the new political landscape.



Candidates backed by Aquino are running against a coalition headed by Vice President Jejomar Binay and deposed President Joseph Estrada.



Peace keepers: MILF has helped keep election day violence down to an all time low

Although officially No. 2 in the country, Binay has emerged as the administration's rival and may be positioning himself for the 2016 presidential race.



Among 33 senatorial candidates are two of Aquino's relatives, Binay's neophyte daughter, Estrada's son, a son of the sitting chamber president, a son of a late president, a spouse and children of former senators and there's a possibility that two siblings will be sitting in the same house. Currently, 15 senators have relatives serving in elective positions.



The race for the House is even more of a family affair. Toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos' widow, the flamboyant 83-year-old Imelda, is expected to keep her seat as a representative for Ilocos Norte province, the husband's birthplace where the locals kept electing the Marcoses despite allegations of corruption and abuse during their long rule. Marcos' daughter, Imee is seeking re-election as governor and the son, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., is already a senator.



Boxing star and incumbent Rep. Manny Pacquiao is running unopposed and building a dynasty of his own: his brother Rogelio is running to represent his southern district and his wife Jinkee is vying to become vice-governor for Sarangani province.

Estrada, who was ousted in a 2001 'people power' revolt on corruption allegations, is running for mayor of Manila, hoping to capitalize on his movie star popularity, particularly among the poor masses.

Philippine elections have long been dominated by politicians belonging to the same bloodlines. At least 250 political families have monopolized power across the country, although such dynasties are prohibited under the 1987 constitution. Congress - long controlled by members of powerful clans targeted by the constitutional ban - has failed to pass the law needed to define and enforce the provision.

Geared up: Members of the armed group MILF will continue top patrol throughout the day. The election results will return within the next two days Critics worry that a single family's stranglehold on different levels of government could stymie checks against abuses and corruption. A widely cited example is the 2009 massacre of 58 people, including 32 media workers, in an ambush blamed on rivalry between powerful clans in southern Maguindanao province.

In the latest violence, gunmen killed five people and wounded two mayoral candidates in separate attacks over the weekend. Last month, gunmen fired on a truck carrying a town mayor and his supporters in southern Lanao del Norte province, killing 13 people including his daughter.

The 125,000-strong military has helped the government in urging candidates to shun violence. An army general took off with his troops aboard two helicopters and dropped leaflets calling for peaceful elections in Masbate, a central province notorious for political killings.

Results are expected within a day or two.



More than 52 million voters are registered to vote in the general election across the country



