Sunday, October 05, 2008 Biazon: Have Indonesia mediate talks with MILF
AS A means to help end the Mindanao conflict, Senator Rodolfo Biazon proposed to have Indonesia act as mediator in peace talks between Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The government has launched several offensives to arrest rogue MILF commanders suspected of leading the deadly attacks in some parts of Mindanao last August.
The atrocities came after the signing of the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain (MOA-AD) was aborted.
Malacañang, however, remained lukewarm to Biazon's suggestion.
Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said that while the proposal of Biazon will be lumped in "inputs" in the peace process, government will continue talking to communities first.
"It's a good suggestion but let's wait for the outcome of dialogues and consultations with the communities... It will be inputted in ongoing consultations," he said.
He was referring to the government's new policy of talking peace first with communities instead of armed groups like the MILF and the New People's Army (NPA).
"What we are doing now is in accordance with the President's (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) directive, dialogues with the communities," he said.
Still, the press secretary said Biazon's advice carries weight, as the lawmaker had been a consultant of the government peace panel dealing with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the NPA's political arm.
Also, Dureza said Indonesia has been "supportive" of the government's peace initiatives and of peace-and-development efforts. (JMR/Sunnex)
