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Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Gov't mulls options to resolve Jolo conflict
MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's administration said Tuesday it is studying all options to ensure that peace is restored in Sulu.
Armed Forces Chief Efren Abu went to the island of Jolo in Sulu Tuesday to see whether a ceasefire should be declared in the area following several weeks of clashes between government troops and Moro rebels loyal to former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) governor Nur Misuari.
Abu is expected to give a report to President Arroyo on Wednesday or Thursday.
"We do not wish to pre-empt General Abu. But what we can tell you is that there is a wide range of options between full offensive and full cessation of hostilities and all these options are being studied. This requires the input of the commanders of the ground and the collective policy advice at the national security level," said Press Secretary and presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye.
Police in Sulu are preparing to charge Habir Malik and his fighters, up to 300 of them, for attacks last month that set off the fierce clashes, resulting in the deaths of 70 people and displacing of more than 30,000 villagers.
Police Director Vidal Querol said charges of murder, attempted murder and arson would be filed this week against Malik and his men for attacking an Army detachment in Panamao, killing a soldier, wounding two civilians and setting houses ablaze.
The Feb. 7 attack provoked a major offensive by more than 3,000 troops that left 30 soldiers and more than 40 gunmen dead in fierce fighting in Panamao and outlying towns.
Abu, during a pep talk with about 300 soldiers and marines, gave no hint if he would propose a truce or order the military to continue operations against Malik's group.
But he asked troops loudly, "Are you still raring to fight? Are you still brave?" The men replied thunderously: "Yes, sir."
Charges against Malik would be filed despite a possible truce, Querol said.
"Their criminal activities could not be wiped out by a ceasefire. Justice must be rendered to the victims," Querol said.
Army Brigadier General Agustin Demaala, commander of troops on Jolo, backed Querol, saying Malik and his men should be punished.
"No one is above the law," he said.
The long-jailed leader of the rebels, Nur Misuari, would not be charged because investigators have not found any evidence or witness to back allegations by some government officials that he ordered the attacks, Querol said.
Presidential adviser on the peace process Teresita Deles, also on Tuesday, met with Sulu officials and leaders of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) factions in Malacañang to discuss the rehabilitation of Sulu.
Deles said the ceasefire was not discussed because there were no more clashes in Sulu and that evacuees are returning to their homes, except in Indanan.
She said what was discussed with Sulu officials and Moro leaders were the long-term development needs of Sulu and the complementing of resources of the national and local governments in order to meet those needs.
Deles said the conflict in Sulu hastened the review of the implementation of the 1996 peace agreement between government and the MNLF. She said government originally intended to meet with leaders of the different factions before September 2006, the 10th anniversary of the signing of the peace pact.
"Pumapayag na ang lahat ng paksyon na magpadala ng representatives sa Friday (The factors agreed to send representatives on Friday) in a meeting we are calling to talk about this," she said.
She said government is monitoring the implementation of the second phase of the government-MNLF agreement, which includes socioeconomic benefits and livelihood assistance for MNLF combatants.
"What we need to see is their commitment in terms of silencing their guns and their transition from being combatants to rejoining mainstream society," she said in the vernacular.
Deles said the Sulu conflict did not affect the peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), another separatist group talking peace with government, and that both groups are only waiting for Malaysia to fix the date of the next informal round of talks, where ancestral domain would be discussed.
She said it is taking so long because Malaysia probably wanted an assurance that both parties understood each other fully before sitting down for negotiations in Kuala Lumpur.
She said there is a proposal for President Arroyo to establish local monitoring posts and a monitoring committee in Sulu so that the MILF could help maintain peace in the island. (RB/With AP)
(March 2, 2005 issue)
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