Friday, August 08, 2008 Gov't told to choose between Piñol or peace
THE Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) bluntly told the Philippine government to pick between North Cotabato Vice Governor Emmanuel Piñol or peace with the MILF.
In a statement, the MILF said these are the only two options of the government.
Khaled Musa, deputy chairperson of the MILF committee on information, said in a report at www.luwaran.com that Piñol's petition to the Supreme Court (SC) to stop the Philippine government from signing the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domanin (MOA-AD) last Tuesday is a trigger that could put the government in several difficult situations.
He said the cancellation of the formal signing of the MOA-AD has already brought to the government serious embarrassments on a global scale.
Musa said if the SC would not lift the TRO or would consider the MOA-AD as unconstitutional, then the Philippine-MILF peace process would be practically dead. He said the scenario is best described as "a situation leading to dangerous consequences."
The MILF said the TRO "has emboldened Piñol to send inflammatory text messages that is punishable under the Human Security Act."
"His warmongering obsession has escalated into a compulsive motive for dispossessing the Moros from their homeland. Why does Piñol in tandem with Lobregat oppose the MOA-AD when only Moros are asked whether or not they want to become part of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE)," Musa asked.
He said the 735 barangays that the government allowed to form part of the BJE under "Category A" are Moro-dominated.
"The settlers, except for a few, are not involved in the plebiscite. So why are they raising hell against the plebiscite," Musa said.
Asked what the MILF will do, if the TRO is not lifted, Musa said "there are many options open to the MILF." He did not elaborate. (BOT)
