Gov't peace panel head denies reported resignation of member

MANILA, Philippines - The chairman of the government peace panel yesterday described as false the reports that one of its members has resigned.

Government peace panel chairman Marvin Leonen disclaimed the reports of Luwaran, the official website of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), that North Upi, Maguindanao Mayor Ramon Piang has resigned from the panel.

“Not true,” said Leonen when reached for comment on the Luwaran report.

Luwaran reported Piang announced his resignation as member of the government peace panel before town officials and employees during a flag-raising ceremony last Monday.

Earlier reports also said Piang tendered his resignation from the peace panel citing his duty as mayor of North Upi town in Maguindanao.

Piang said he lacked time to attend the peace negotiations since he also has to attend to concerns of his constituents.

Luwaran also reported that Piang is just waiting for the official action on his resignation from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).

Reports on the resignation of Piang came less than a week before the peace negotiations of both parties in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Leonen, for his part, said the reports on the resignation of Piang were erroneous. 

“Mali (false),” Leonen told dxUP-FM, a local radio station based at North Upi.

Piang, who belongs to the T’duray tribe, represents the indigenous peoples of Mindanao in the peace panel.

He did not give his reasons why he is resigning from the panel, Luwaran said.

In May 2010, Piang ran for vice mayor and won handily over his rivals, but later assumed the post of mayor when the winning mayor, Roben Platon, was appointed head of the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) in Manila.

The Philippine and MILF peace panel are meeting on Monday next week in Kuala Lumpur in line with the ongoing peace talks aimed at striking a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict stricken areas in Mindanao.

The peace negotiations in Kuala Lumpur came at the heels of the meeting between President Aquino and MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ibrahim in Tokyo in Aug. 3.

Murad reportedly told Aquino that the MILF is abandoning their quest for a separate Mindanao state in exchange for a Bangsamoro sub-state.