Monday, November 03, 2008 Gov't mulls resuming peace talks with MILF
THE government is eyeing a possible decision on whether it would proceed with its negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) by December as initial results and inputs from the public consultations with Mindanao stakeholders are expected to be available by the end of the month.
Press Secretary Jesus Dureza, in an interview by Radyo ng Bayan's Pilipinas, Pilipinas program, disregarded growing calls including those from the international community to resume talks with MILF, saying input of the Mindanao stakeholders directly affecting the situation on the ground has more weight.
"Let us not entrust it to the international community, let us do it internally. The international pressure that you claim, we Filipinos are the ones who decide what's best for us," he said.
He added that the consultations with the stakeholders are specifically being held to get the sentiment of the people who are directly affected by the developments on the ground.
"I'm sure before the end of the year, probably by December, according to Secretary (Peace Adviser Hermogenes) Jun Esperon, or towards latter part of November, probably we have output. That's the time we would get from the people what we are supposed to do," he said.
The peace talks with the MILF had been halted after the Supreme Court (SC) in August aborted the signing of a memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain, which allegedly contain some provisions that are unconstitutional.
The government later abolished the government panel negotiating with the MILF after members of the Muslim groups launched a series of attacks against civilians in parts of Mindanao. (JMR/Sunnex)
