The Philippines is scrambling to preserve the remnants of a small multi-national peace monitoring force that has helped reduce Muslim separatist fighting on the southern island of Mindanao after Malaysia began pulling out peacekeepers.

Kuala Lumpur is helping broker peace talks between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (Milf) on ending almost four decades of Muslim separatist insurgency. The conflict has claimed more than 100,000 lives and stunted growth in the resource-rich island.