Talks with MILF on despite arrest of JI terror suspects

DAVAO CITY — Peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will continue despite the arrest of four members of the separatist rebel group suspected of also being members of the Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah international terrorist network.

"The peace process is still very much on track despite the arrests," Presidential Assistant on the Peace Process Teresita Deles told The STAR.

The MILF protested the arrest last week of Sammy Abdulgani, Montasser Ismael, Datu Puti Ungka and Badrodin Dalungan, who were found to be in possession of explosives.

The four, who were implicated in a series of bombings last year in Maguindanao, were also said to be members of a JI terror cell tasked to carry out bombing missions in several ports in Mindanao.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said their group agreed to the government’s stand in pursuing peace but they insisted the arrests should be investigated.

"There is no disagreement to the fact that we also would want to pursue the peace process," he said.

He added that the arrest will be taken up in the monthly meeting of the Joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) to be held here tomorrow.

"The CCCH is the proper venue where the matter of the arrest can be addressed and we are looking forward to it," he said.

Deles said the MILF was concerned about the arrests but was "willing to listen" to the "explanation of the arresting officers."

In a telephone interview, Armed Forces vice chief Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Garcia confirmed that the arrest of Abdulgani and three of his comrades will be among the matters discussed in the CCCH meeting.

"This is in accordance with the instruction of the President," he said.

But Garcia doesn’t expect the issue will be "immediately resolved" as evidence might be "presented to prove the arrest had basis."

"So I cannot really say how the meeting on Monday would go," he said.

Garcia heads the government team in the CCCH with Benjie Midtimbang acting as his MILF counterpart.

Formal peace talks between the two panels are set to take place after the May 10 general elections.