A female Muslim displays her placard calling for peace as she shouts "Allah is Great" after the regular Friday prayer in Manila

They must have recently gotten stronger, more confident that they can implement the "Medinan" phase of Islam -- jihad -- as opposed to the Meccan, "live and let live." A MILF [1] update. "Philippines, Muslim Rebels Peace Deal in Jeopardy," by Nancy-Amelia Collins, for [2] Voice of America, August 21:

The Philippine government says it will review a peace agreement with Muslim rebels after rogue commanders from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front attacked several villages in the southern Philippines, killing dozens of people.[...]

The rebel group and the government have been negotiating on and off since 1997 on ways to give Muslims more self rule in the south, including the expansion of an already existing Muslim homeland that would give the group greater economic and political powers.

MILF [3] blames government for breakdown of peace talks

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front's chief peace negotiator, Mohaqher Iqbal, told VOA the peace process was in "tatters."

"This breakdown of the peace process is not caused by the MILF. We have been very consistent, we have been very observing the cease-fire. But, in spite of all of this, the government does not honor its commitments," he said. "It's in tatters, it's in tatters. I don't know how to pick up the pieces."