COTABATO CITY — Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Monday stressed that his group's main goal since the beginning is the attainment of peace in Mindanao, but warned that the "next in line" in the MILF are "more radical."

“Our next generation is at their 30s to early 40s and this means they were born with the war and had been raised with the cruelty of the war that has been going on for more than 40 years,” Murad said, hinting that it may not be good for future peace talks.

The MILF leader said he sees a dire situation if the MILF's younger leaders and members get to lead the Muslim struggle.

“If their selfless struggles and sacrifices for peace will turn into deep frustration and resentment, then they will become more emboldened, more radical and that will be the kind of conflict situation and anarchy that we will have from their generation to next,” said Murad.

The MILF chairman has been holding a series of meetings in the past weeks with foreign diplomats, members of the media, and the group's Central Committee as he assured his group's goal is to win and sustain peace, justice and nation-building for the Bangsamoro, or Muslim Filipinos.

In one of the series of meeting, the mujaheedin leader warned the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) on the prospects of renewed conflict if the peace negotiations fail to reach a peace settlement.

The 12-year-old peace talks collapsed in 2008 after the aborted signing of the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain (MoA-AD), triggering an upsurge of violence that resulted in death of scores of combatants and non-combatants, burning of houses, and evacuation of over 600,000 people.

Murad said the MILF is holding training for its members in preparation for post-war scenario that needs diplomacy and development know-how. The current peace process, he assured, is given priority.

"Let it be understood that the MILF’s military training is not principally intended for waging war but for us to be ready to defend and fight for our rights and aspirations as aggrieved minority Bangsamoro,” the MILF chieftain said.

Overcoming all the hurdles to the peace process, he said, is in the best interest of GRP and MILF, Filipinos and Moros.

“I will not stop in appealing for support and assistance from our people and the Filipinos, including the international community, in order to push the GRP – MILF peace process forward, be it at the level of the peace negotiation, reconstruction and development of the conflict-affected communities, ceasefire and security,” he said.