AN INTERNATIONAL team from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia that will monitor the peace process between the government and the Muslim separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is scheduled to arrive in the Philippines Saturday.

The 43-person International Monitoring Team (IMT) will observe the current ceasefire between the government and the MILF that was earlier agreed on by the two sides as part of peace negotiations, said Silvestre Afable, head of the government negotiating panel and presidential communications director.

The Malaysian peace monitors will arrive at 3 p.m. at the Villamor Airbase south of Manila.

"This is a major breakthrough in our quest for permanent peace in Mindanao," Afable said.

The new batch will join an advance party of eight Malaysian military officers and a police officer that is already based in Cotabato City.

A group of 10 international peacekeepers from Brunei is also expected to arrive in Manila on October 15 to join the IMT.