MANILA - President Gloria Arroyo assured Kuala Lumpur on Friday her government would take steps to ensure safe passage to Malaysia of Muslim guerrilla peace negotiators who are being hunted in the Philippines for alleged terrorist activity.

Malaysian ambassador to Manila Taufik Mohamed Noor warned earlier Friday that his government would be unable to honor its offer to host peace talks between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) unless Manila lifts arrest warrants and bounties on the heads of top rebel negotiators.

A lower court in Davao has a standing order for the arrest of MILF chief Salamat Hashim and dozens of other MILF men, including top rebel negotiator Murad Ebrahim for their alleged role in the bombing of the city's airport and port earlier this year that claimed at least 38 lives.