Wednesday, April 30, 2008 MILF, Dureza trade barbs over stalled peace talks By Ben O. Tesiorna
SECRETARY Jesus Dureza, presidential adviser on peace process, and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) traded barbs over stalled peace negotiations between the government and the MILF.
In a statement, Dureza lambasted some sectors for publicly posturing "as if they are more interested" than the Philippine government in a peaceful settlement with the MILF.
"If there is any sector most interested to resolve these problems, it is the government. We are doing our level best. Of course with utmost due diligence," Dureza said.
The secretary also denied accusations that they are delaying the peace process for some vested interests, saying they are simply acting with due diligence.
"The government, while committed to push the peace process forward, is not delaying but doing due diligence in completing the government's final draft of the ancestral domain agreement to ensure that it is implementable and defensible from attacks of unconstitutionality," Dureza said.
He added: "While we understand the apparent impatience of some sectors, the government cannot treat these pending issues in a cavalier manner or with undue haste."
Responding to Dureza's statement, the MILF asked the government whether it really understands the meaning of the word "delay."
In a report posted on MILF website www.luwaran.com, MILF deputy chair of the committee on information Khaled Musa said Dureza is not the chief government peace negotiator and his statement does not carry much weight.
He accused Dureza of trying to muddle the issue.
"When as government chief negotiator, his record was badly stained by the treacherous attack on Buliok complex on February 11, 2003, when Muslims all over the world were performing Eid'l Adha. He also messed up the talks when he annotated the minutes of the GRP-MILF peace panel meeting in March 2003. Now he is muddling the issues again," Musa said.
"If more than three years since December 2004, after the ancestral domain was put on the agenda of the talks is not too long a time to finish a single issue, then what it is - is this not a delay?" Musa asked.
The MILF official said the reason for the turtle-paced talks is that every time there was consensus by the parties, sometimes already signed by them, the government introduces obstacle one after the other.
He cited the most recent dilatory tactic of the government when it put up the legal team to study the legality or constitutionality of the draft memorandum of agreement (MOA) on ancestral domain, which was already settled by the government and MILF peace negotiators, after the Malaysian chief facilitator made a shuttle between Manila and Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat, Shariff Kabunsuan on February 19 to 22.
He also disclosed that, as per information from a source in Malacañang, one of the lawyers tasked to make a review of the draft document arrived only two days ago from a trip to Europe.
When asked if they are calling for Dureza's replacement in light of the pending cabinet revamp in the Arroyo administration, MILF military spokesman Eid Kabalu said they are distancing themselves from that issue since it is an "internal matter" to the government.
