MANILA (AFP) - Philippine officials today downplayed a reported bid by renegade Muslim leader Nur Misuari to seek asylum through the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Misuari has been detained in Malaysia pending his deportation here to face rebellion charges, following a failed uprising by his followers from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) that left scores dead in the southern Philippines last month.

Malaysia has ruled out granting Misuari asylum but hinted for the first time today that it could send him to a third country if the Philippines does not move swiftly to get him back.

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

President Gloria Arroyo's spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said Manila has not been officially informed by the UNHCR of Misuari's application, but dismissed it as "not a major development".

The government is "very confident" the UNHCR "would recognize our justice system," Tiglao said, citing the fact that rebellion charges have been filed against Misuari here.

No need for preemptive action

"We don't think we need a preemptive action," he said, but added that as a matter of course, the Philippines will respond to any UNHCR communication.

Tiglao said Arroyo also believes that the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) fully backs Manila's position to charge Misuari and that the Malaysian government "is a friendly nation" which respects Philippine laws.

Foreign department spokesman Victoriano Lecaros said Misuari's application to be given safe passage to a third country was baseless because he was not being persecuted.

"Our position is, that it's not a cause for concern because the UN has its own criteria which the petitioner will have to meet," Lecaros said over ABS-CBN television.

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.