Philippine President Benigno Aquino III admitted Wednesday that the government has to be cautious in going after Nur Misuari, who is now a subject of a police manhunt for his alleged involvement in last month's Zamboanga siege, because of the Muslims' cultural sensitivities and to avoid exacerbating the problem.

"We have to be careful about treating cultural sensitivities of others who are not presently involved but who might find common cause in protecting a fellow Muslim," he said at the annual presidential forum of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines on Wednesday.

"You have to craft it in such a way that you'd come up with a solution and not exacerbate the problem," he added.

A Zamboanga City court recently issued arrest warrants against Misuari and hundreds of his followers who were allegedly involved in the three-week bloody Zamboanga standoff with government troops. They have been facing charges of rebellion and violation of the international humanitarian law.

Aquino said that Misuari has not yet left the country and he has been transferring from one island to another in southern province of Sulu to avoid arrest.

"We are still exerting efforts to get him into custody in the soonest possible time," he said.