COTABATO CITY -– The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) announced Monday that it has already formed a new panel that will continue peace negotiations with the Philippine government.
Mohammad Ameen, chief secretariat of the MILF’s central committee, said Monday that they now have a "short list" of negotiators for their panel.
However, he refused to comment when asked if the group would still be led by Muhaquer Iqbal, chairman of the front’s information committee, a position he has been occupying since early 1990s.
Ameen said the new panel members will be equally qualified with the Iqbal-led panel of negotiators.
MILF chairman Murad Ebrahim will officially announce the short list after the Ramadan. The Eud'l Fitr or the culmination of Ramadan is on September 11.
The MILF deactivated its peace panel in June 23 following its last meeting with its government counterpart under the administration of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Marvic Leon, chief government negotiator to the MILF, said the new peace panel will be "as transparent as possible" during negotiations with the Moro rebels.
Leonen said they will formally work through the reconstitution of an advisory panel, and informally with media and stakeholders, which include members of the legislature, local government leaders, civil society, especially the peace advocates.
"The negotiations in the past were done secretly without involving the views of key stakeholders, creating conflicts…" said Leonen during a forum dubbed "Development Agenda for Mindanao under P-Noy Administration" in Davao City on Saturday.
"Moreover, negotiations were done in haste to meet deadlines set to gain 'brownie points' from an expectant international community; and the result was a patchwork of provisions in a document that caused greater division than unity," he added.
Leonen said President Benigno Aquino III’s policies on the peace process will be made under four components:
(1) shall be “based on a comprehensive understanding of the root causes of the conflict”;
(2) shall be conducted under "clear policies that pave the way ahead, and driven by a genuine desire to attain a just and lasting peace";
(3) there shall be restoration of "confidence in the peace process that is transparent and participative"; and
(4) the country shall envision a "peaceful, secure, and prosperous future under one sovereign flag."
The government chief negotiator also said they are now reviewing the consultations done in the past, as well as checking on any progress achieved to see if these are still relevant.
Leonen said they have already set a deadline to resolve the conflict.
"This administration has six years. We hope to be able to find implementation of a politically negotiated settlement within that time.” Leonen said.
He said peace is possible if both parties will focus on the original challenge: how to solve the Bangsamoro problem, which was epitomized with the rejection of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain.
Government services for rehabilitation will also be delivered during the peace process, Leonen said.
"The economic cost of the armed conflict is devastating. The current situation of relative peace - though - satisfactory could be better. Hence, even as the peace talks are driven with due and deliberate speed; basic services, rehabilitation and economic development will continue to be delivered. This is as it should be because poverty in all its incarnations should not be tolerated," he said.
Leonen said under the Rehabilitation and Development Component, existing mechanism include the Mindanao-Trust Fund for Reconstruction and Development, which is a multi-donor trust fund lead by the World Bank that allows development partners to pool and coordinate development assistance for conflict-affected areas.
The government will also provide official development assistance that covers civilian protection, infrastructure, education, leadership and governance training.
Peace talks between the government and the MILF started officially on January 7, 1997, but gained headway only in 2003 through the facilitation of Malaysia.
Malaysia also led the third party peace monitors called International Monitoring Team (IMT), which helped the government and the MILF monitor ceasefire violations and formed mechanism to avoid the same since 2003.
Aside from Malaysia, the IMT is also composed of representatives from Brunei, Libya and Japan.
Other countries have also expressed intention to join the peace efforts in southern Philippines. (PNA/Jade C. Zaldivar of Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)