The Philippine Online Chronicles

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the largest Muslim rebel group in the country, said they might be sending the first MILF peace panelist to Malaysia where they will be having exploratory peace talks with the Aquino administration.

MILF peace panel secretariat head Jun Mantawil said they are contemplating on having Raissa Jajurie or Bai Cabaybay Abubakar, both MILF peace panel board of consultants, as a panel member.

Jajurie is a human rights lawyer while Abubakar is the president of the Sharif Kabunsuan College in Cotabato City.

"We see the importance of the views of a professional Muslim woman in our quest for peace, thus the decision to name one,” Mantawil said in a statement.

If they choose a woman, the panelist must have their closest kin with them to be allowed to travel with men.

Mantawil said the forthcoming peace talks in Kuala Lumpur is crucial, especially with the international community expecting progress between the two camps.

Scheduled on December 5 to 7, the meeting will be the fourth full-panel meeting under President Benigno Aquino III’s administration. There have been talks every two months since February this year.

Presidential adviser to the peace process Teresita Deles said, "While taking care to avoid preempting the talks by commenting on expectations, I cannot but take a positive view of the fact that formal exploratory talks are pushing ahead following very serious challenges to the peace process in recent months.”

Recent events have strained the peace talks, namely the skirmishes between the MILF and the Philippine Army – one leading to the death of 19 soldiers in Basilan – and Ameril Umra Kato’s breakaway group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM).

The clash in Basilan caused further battles that led to the death of 40 soldiers, policemen, and civilians.

Meanwhile, there have been speculation on BIFM leader Kato’s death. The MILF had earlier reported his death, only to clarify that the leader had instead suffered a stroke and is bedridden. However, the group is reportedly still looking for the burial site of Kato.

MILF spokesperson Von Al Haq said they want discover the grave so “Kato’s men can no longer deny their leader had died.”

But the BIFM asserts that Kato is still alive.

His son Aliudeen said, “We know that this rumor that my father is dead is coming from out there, (referring to the MILF) but we are just ignoring it. What is important is that my father is still strong.”

MILF political affairs chief Ghadzali Jaafar said the BIFM is withholding the information “to prevent their men from suffering from low morale.”

Jaafar said they already have evidence leading them to believe that Kato had died. However, he said “there is no need for us to show it.

“If you do not believe what we are saying, this will be the last interview we will grant on Kato,” an irked Jaafar told media.