Tuesday, September 02, 2008 Roxas supports manhunt
SENATOR Mar Roxas expressed support to the continuing manhunt for rogue MILF commanders Ameril Umbra Kato, Abdullah Macapaar alias Kumander Bravo and Solaiman Panaglian even during the Ramadan.
"All rule breakers must be held accountable regardless if they are Muslim or Christian. Kahit ba Holy Week eh hindi natin huhulihin ang mga kriminal? It is the same thing," Roxas said in a press conference Saturday following his closed-door consultation with Mindanao Bishops, North Cotabato Vice-Governor Emmanuel Piñol, and Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat.
Roxas said the capture of the rogue commanders should be the first step in order to move forward the peace process.
"Not all out-war but all out-rule of law. No exceptions. 'Wag din pabayaan lumalala ang vigilanteism," Roxas said.
Aside from this, Roxas said he favors the scrapping of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD).
"It is not enough that the government commits not to sign the MOA but there is a need for the Supreme Court to rule that it is illegal para di na makabangon pa 'yung issue. This might be used as the opening gambit by the MILF when negotiations start again," Roxas said.
He added that the government peace panel has to be revamped as its members have lost their credibility.
"Dapat confident tayo sa ating mga negotiators na hindi tayo ibebenta. The selection of the panel members should be done through consultation. We also need to establish the paramaters of the negotiations para merong basis kung ano lang ang pwedeng ibigay ng gobyerno," Roxas said.
For now, however, Roxas insists that the areas where the rogue commanders are active must be "smothered by military and police presence" so that the people will feel that the government is at hand to protect them.
