Gov't, MILF resume peace talks in KL

Tuesday, 14 February 2012 17:48 Janvic Mateo

Representatives of the government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) yesterday met in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to resume the peace negotiations aimed at ending the armed conflict in Mindanao.

In a Philippine Star article, government panel chair Marvic Leonen said that there is a need to "focus once more on the substantive issues and explore common grounds" in order to come up with a final peace agreement.

He added that the government panel is optimistic that both parties can find “mutually viable solutions” to solve the problems in Southern Philippines.

In an article, presidential adviser on the peace process Teresita Deles said that the government is hoping to forge a peace agreement with MILF by 2013.

“The president aims not only to sign within his term but also to implement and assess signed peace agreements and not pass it to the next administration,” Deles was quoted as saying in a Zamboanga Today Online article.

Business World reported that Leonen was hoping that a final agreement between the Philippine government and MILF would be signed this March. In a phone interview, however, MILF vice-chairman for political affairs Ghazali Jaafar said “that the final agreement may still be reached later this year, as several issues have yet to be resolved.”

Business Mirror reported that Leonen also raised the concern of the government panel regarding several incidents in which the MILF failed to coordinate with the ad hoc group or the coordinating committee regarding its pursuit of criminal elements.

“We should keep our ground peaceful and avoid provocation that might stir unnecessary violence. Our mechanisms should constantly be reviewed but even in doing so, we should both abide by it. We should do so even while we share in the desire to go against criminal elements within our communities,” Leonen said.

The former University of the Philippines College of Law dean requested that the group “withdraw its armed members” in several areas and coordinate with the ad hoc group or the coordinating committee.

According to GMA News, the MILF will be represented by panel chair Mohagher Iqbal, lawyer Datu Michael Mastura, Maulana Bobby Alonto, Prof. Abhoud Syed Lingga, and Abdulla Camlian, among others.

MILF was a breakaway group from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) which signed a peace accord with the government in 1976.

According to the Philippine Star, the group has not discarded its demand for the creation of a sub-state, which is heavily criticized by a number of government officials as being unconstitutional.

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