MANILA (AFP) - A Philippine senator on today warned Malaysia against giving safe passage to a third country for detained Muslim leader Nur Misuari, saying it would be tantamount to giving him asylum.

Senator Rodolfo Biazon, vice-chairman of the senate committee on defense, said Misuari should immediately be repatriated to "face charges under the laws of the republic."

"Any country that will release him or provide him asylum should be considered as committing an unfriendly act towards the government of the Philippines," said Biazon, a former Marine general and armed forces chief.

Third country

The office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kuala Lumpur said Tuesday that Misuari had filed for asylym through his lawyer in Washington last month.

Malaysia has ruled out granting Misuari asylum but has hinted it could send him to a third country if the Philippines does not want to take him back.

Misuari was arrested on Nov 24 by Malaysian authorities after fleeing a failed uprising by his followers from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in the southern Philippines that killed scores of people last month.