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Friday, September 22, 2006
Davao mayor says Moro rebel threat won't do any good
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- Threat of renewed war by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is not going to do any good to anybody, said Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who is also Presidential Consultant on Peace and Order.
Duterte said the threat of renewed fighting between the MILF and the government should not be made this early since the impasse on territorial issue can still be remedied by the two panels, adding the war must never be considered at all.
"It's too early, we can remedy the situation. It would not serve anybody any good," Duterte said.
A disagreement over the size of an area where Filipino Muslims could exercise a measure of control over land, resources and governance stalled the talks between the government and the MILF this month.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said government peace panel chairman Silvestre Afable Jr. reported that the impasse is still caused by the MILF's insistence that 613 Muslim-dominated barangays be included in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) without holding a plebiscite.
"That is the reason why we have an impasse but it is not insurmountable. We should not be pulled into a situation where we will make a statement as though the peace process had totally collapsed. The peace process has not collapsed," Ermita said.
Ermita also said the Afable panel has told the MILF that the Muslim-dominated barangays cannot be included under the Armm without a plebiscite because it would mean violating the 1987 Constitution.
Ermita said government is still hopeful that a final peace accord would be signed before the end of the year because "there are many countries looking at us."
MILF central committee chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim earlier hinted that they are ready for war against the government if it insists on dilly-dallying and treats the peace talks as a mere counter-insurgency tool. Rebel leader Al Haj Murad warned Monday that the negotiations could collapse.
The MILF, estimated by the military to have 13,000 members with 10,000 firearms, is the largest of at least four Muslim groups that have been waging a bloody, decades-long battle for self-rule in southern Mindanao.
Presidential peace talks adviser Jesus Dureza said government negotiators were working hard to break the impasse and resume the talks.
The guerrillas were waiting for the government to take an acceptable position and were not considering going back to war, although that always remains a possibility, chief rebel negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said.
"Both sides agree that peace talks are still the best means to resolve the issue of territory," President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's spokesman, Ignacio Bunye, said.
"Communication lines are open and the government is not on war footing except in the fight against terrorists. Our negotiations remain focused on ironing out a consensus that is best for the interest of the people," he said.
Meanwhile, Marine General Benjamin Dolorfino shared Duterte's opinion, saying "the possibility of renewed hostilities is a reality that all of us, including the MILF, must avoid."
"Going to war will achieve nothing, all will be losers," Dolorfino said.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), in an official statement, said the peace process is still their priority upon the instruction of their commander-in-chief, President Arroyo.
"The AFP will continue to observe existing ceasefire/suspension of hostilities with the MILF. There are no indications of any massing of MILF forces. We are confident that despite the difficulties encountered by the peace process, it will continue," the military statement added.
But the military was quick to add they are not letting their guards down.
"The AFP is on alert monitoring other forces/provocateurs that may take advantage to sabotage the peace talks," it said. (With Peng Aliño/AP/Sunnex)
(September 22, 2006 issue)
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