Gov’t to ask written peace commitment from MILF

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) must present a written commitment renouncing terrorism as a condition to start the formal peace talks with the government starting January next year.

Presidential deputy spokesman Ricardo Saludo said the government will demand a written commitment from the MILF renouncing terrorism as well as commitment to help the government identify and arrest members of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militants.

Saludo said in a radio interview that this will be the government position in the talks in the light of reports that some MILF members are supporting or even coddling JI terrorists in their midst.

"Verbally the MILF has already said that they are against terrorism but now the government wants them to show it through a written commitment," Saludo said.

While the government believes the sincerity of the MILF in pushing through the peace talks, Saludo said the separatist guerrilla group should also avoid links with terrorists or face the consequences of being declared an international terror group.

As this developed, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has assured President Arroyo of Malaysia’s continued support for the government’s peace efforts in Mindanao.

Badawi, who succeeded former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad, gave the assurance during the two leaders’ bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the two-day ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit in Tokyo that ended yesterday.

Badawi said Malaysia would exert all efforts for the peace talks to push through.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople said Badawi formally conveyed to Mrs. Arroyo the decision of the Malaysian government to send an advance team next week to monitor the ceasefire situation in Mindanao.

Ople explained the advance team will lay the groundwork for the sending of the international monitoring team. "That will be a key element in maintaining our ceasefire with the MILF," he said.

With the expected resumption of the peace talks in Kuala Lumpur, the Japanese government also expressed its willingness to help out in the full development of Mindanao.

Philippine Ambassador to Japan Domingo Siazon said Mindanaoans will be benefited by the peaceful settlement of the conflict with Japanese aid coming in to help finance small scale industries and social infrastructures.

Neighboring Malaysia is preparing to host formal talks between Manila and the MILF early next month.

Manila is pushing for a political settlement to the MILF’s 25-year rebellion before the May 2004 presidential election.

A peace deal would lead to the release of millions of dollars’ worth of development aid pledged by the United States and other countries to Mindanao.

The 12,500-strong MILF has been waging an armed rebellion with the aim of setting up an Islamic state in the region. —Mayen Jaymalin