Friday, June 22, 2007 MILF-AFP tie-up expires but Bossi rescue try on By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE mandate of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front's Ad-Hoc Joint Action Group (MILF-AHJAG) expired Thursday, in effect removing the authority from the MILF to join in any military operation with the Armed Forces of the Philippines against lawless elements in Mindanao.
In a telephone interview, MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu told Sun.Star that the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) may be temporarily tapped to replace the AHJAG while both panels of the MILF and the government are yet to meet and decide on the future of the AHJAG.
"Di naman ibig sabihin ay wala na talaga kaming magagawa lalo na sa pagtulong namin (It doesn’t also mean that there is nothing we can do, especially in helping rescue effort kay Fr. Bossi. We still can help through the CCCH and we are ready to help anytime)," Kabalu said.
In a memorandum issued to lawyer Abdul Dataya, chairperson of the MILF AHJAG, the MILF Central Committee stated that starting June 21 the group's mandate has expired until the two parties -- the government and MILF peace panels -- decide to renew the mandate to another year when they resume talks.
The same memorandum however stated that the MILF Central Committee has given special authority to the MILF AHJAG to continue the joint rescue operation with its counterpart in the government against the kidnappers of Fr. Giancarlo Bossi, but such authority lasts until the victim is freed and the subject also to the concurrence of the government peace panel.
Mohagher Iqbal, chairperson of the MILF peace panel, issued the official memorandum, which also authorized Dataya to stay in office pending the termination of the joint rescue operation against Bossi's kidnappers.
He said the MILF decision to let its AHJAG continue its task in freeing Father Bossi is founded mainly on humanitarian ground and also in furtherance of the gains of the peace process.
"The life of man is of paramount importance over procedural matter," Iqbal said in a report posted at the MILF website Luwaran.com.
The memorandum ordered all members of the MILF-AHJAG to "stay put and continue to monitor activities of all individuals or groups classified as belonging to criminal syndicates and other similar criminal groups or lost commands in or near MILF areas on unofficial capacity."
Iqbal said their fight against criminal syndicates and saboteurs of the peace process is a continuing task or obligation.
Kabalu said Fr. Bossi and his captors were seen between the borders of Lanao del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur. He said their rescue efforts are ongoing and no technicalities could hinder them from doing their mission.
