COTABATO City, Philippines – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Wednesday said some candidates in the local and national elections are seeking the group's support.

MILF chief negotiator Muhaquer Iqbal, however, said that their group is apolitical and will not participate in the May 2013 electoral exercise.

Instead of the support, Iqbal advised the candidates to present strong platform on the Mindanao peace process to the voters.

Iqbal said the forthcoming synchronized local and senatorial elections, which will be held simultaneous with the regional polls in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, have a “big bearing” on the Mindanao peace process.

He said politicians aspiring for various local and national positions should make clear to the Mindanao voters how they plan to help push the peace process forward if they are elected.

"Please make it a priority issue during this campaign period," Iqbal said in an interview Wednesday over Catholic station dxND in Kidapawan City.

Iqbal said several politicians have been wooing the MILF’s support in next month’s synchronized local, ARMM and senatorial elections. He declined to reveal the names of the politicians, however.

He said that it is against the revolutionary policy of the MILF to endorse a candidate's electoral campaign.

Iqbal earlier announced that the Moro group will not prevent its voting members to freely exercise their right of suffrage during the May polls.

“But it’s really up to them to choose the candidates they want to vote for. We will not dictate on them whom to vote for,” Iqbal said.

Iqbal said candidates can freely roam in areas covered by the 1997 Agreement on General Cessation of Hostilities between the government and the MILF.

“No one will collect from them campaign fees or any amount as protection money. They can talk to people even in the remotest areas where we have forces,” Iqbal said.

Iqbal said the MILF, through its Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities, is ready to help ensure peaceful elections in far-flung areas in towns and provinces covered by the ceasefire accord.

The government and the MILF, under preliminary security agreements, are to mutually coordinate and cooperate in maintaining law and order in flashpoint areas in Mindanao through the joint ceasefire committee.