Despite security concerns, former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada seemed bent on paying the peaceloving residents of Basilan, who have been mourning the death of 12 people in another spate of Moro extremist attacks since Tuesday, a visit next month.

Estrada, who launched an all-out war against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to eradicate all kinds of terrorism in Mindanao in 2000, expressed no qualms on personally extending his condolences by holding a rally against the threats of Abu Sayyaf rebels.

“I will go there (Basilan). I will bring you there because that's what we have in our schedule. I've been there in Iligan. I might also go the Jolo (in Sulu province),” Estrada told reporters in a sortie held in Cebu last week.

The deposed leader said he made this decision after several Basilan town mayors invited him to visit the war-torn island province.

He explained that the visit that has been set to be held on the first week of May, the last days of the campaign, will also be a part of Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP)'s last crunch of ensuring a victory in Mindanao.

The former president, whose all-out war ended when he was ousted in 2001, made the announcement in reaction to the bombings allegedly perpetrated by rebels from al Qaeda-linked terror group Abu Sayyaf in several public places in Basilan early this week.

“It would never have happened in my administration. I never tolerated any private armies. I dismantled them immediately and the Abu Sayyaf (were) already almost eradicated during my time. They ran and even the chairman of the MILF fled to Malaysia,” Estrada said.

Saying that his contenders for presidency do not have a clear solution on how to solve the peace problem in Mindanao, Estrada promised he will wage war against all kinds of terrorist who disturb peace in Southern Philippines.

Estrada also blamed the Arroyo administration for showing weakness in suppressing the emergence of Abu Sayyaf, saying that once elected as president, he will give the peace process in Mindanao a 90-day deadline to come up with a final peace plan.

He clarified that if this plan will not work, his new administration will wage a war for peace.