The Philippine Online Chronicles

A Palace official said peace talks between the Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will push through despite threats of renegade rebel leader Ameril Umbra Kato to disrupt it.

Kato had previously split from the MILF, forming the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movementwhich has been leading attacks since 2008?

The renegade rebel leader was tagged as “bughaat” an Arabic term meaning “anyone or group who rebels against the ruler or those who do not obey a lawful order or duly organized authority.”

Kato has warned that he would be launching attacks against the ongoing joint Philippine-US Balikatan Exercises in Maguindanao.

Presidential Communications Development and Startegic Planning Secretary Ramon Carandang said, “Both sides, the Philippine government and the MILF, are committed to making this process move forward and we will work together to make sure that attempts to disrupt it will not succeed.”

He insisted that the government “will not give in to threats and all the planned exercises will continue.”

Carandang added that sufficient security is being provided for the US soldiers participating in the Balikatan exercises and there is no plan to postpone the exercise because of the threat.

Kato has also criticized the ongoing peace process and reiterated that the MILF should push on seeking for independence in Mindanao.

President Benigno Aquino III stressed, “We are expecting for the MILF to live up to what they've been saying. They consider him an internal problem, they will have to [deal with him alone], unless they change their vibes about that aspect.”

But the MILF said in its website that the Kato problem is "multi-dimensional: it has ingredients of social, political, religious, military, psychological, and personal; and therefore, requires multi-dimensional approach."

The MILF peace panel earlier recommended their central committee to reject the government's “3-for-1” peace proposal which offers autonomy rather than a substate. The government has maintained that it will stand by its proposal which offers “three important components for one solution to the Bangsamoro problem.”

In an interview with ABS-CBN, MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim said that “wala kaming nakikitang connection doon sa consensus point na napagkasunduan na. Itong proposal ng gobyerno, walang connection doon sa napag-uspan na.”

“So ibig sabihin, we are starting again from scratch. We shall prolong the process. Anong nangyari sa more than 14 years na napag-usapan? Hindi namin mapapayagan na if there is a new administration then we start again from scratch,” Murad added.