Talks with MILF set to resume

MANILA, Philippines - The government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will resume informal peace talks in Kuala Lumpur early next month, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles said yesterday.

The announcement came amid calls for the suspension of the talks in the wake of the killing of 19 soldiers in Al-Barka, Basilan by MILF guerrillas.

“The details are not yet there, but it will be held next month,” Deles said, referring to the informal talks.

“It is important to clarify that these are not formal talks because what happened in Kuala Lumpur (in August) was that when they (MILF) did not approve of our proposal (for a genuine autonomy as opposed to the MILF’s sub-state), there had been a shuttle facilitation by our Malaysian third party facilitator on how do we move forward,” Deles said.

She said both the government and the Muslim rebel group did not accept each other’s proposal as a working document.

“But we can see that there are common grounds between the two, so what we are saying is we should talk on how we can continue with the substantive agenda that we really want to pursue, the substantive (matters) to come with an agreement and find a lasting solution (to this problem),” Deles said.

At the same time, Deles said it would be good for the two panels to meet after the Oct.18 Basilan incident in view of President Aquino’s call for “all-out justice” instead of an all-out war in dealing with the MILF guerrillas who killed the 19 soldiers on a mission to arrest a criminal.

“Accountability must be exacted if needed so such kind of incident will not happen again... The prospects remain positive. We are confident there will be a face-to-face, informal, not full panel meeting,” Deles said.

“The President made it very clear that the all-out justice approach meant that we would really push for law enforcement against criminal elements but continue the peace process as well,” she said.

“The leadership of the MILF is also looking for solution to the problems in Mindanao. The government is very clear in its position that running after criminal elements is very much separated from the government’s and MILF’s efforts for a lasting peace in Mindanao,” she said.

“We have shown in the last few weeks that we can do it, that we can do the law enforcement and we will push through while at the same time we are protecting the gains of the peace process,” she said.

“The peace talks would also help in our quest for accountability with what had happened in Al-Barka, Basilan,” Deles said.

“What we are saying here is let us talk and discuss how we can continue the substantive agenda to finally reach an agreement that will serve as a lasting solution to the conflict in Mindanao,” Deles said, adding that MILF leaders have agreed to hold accountable those responsible for the attack in Al-Barka.

Deles also defended Malacañang’s P5-million donation to the MILF.

“The P5 million was given to a duly registered body which was created in 2008 during the talks following an agreement between the government and the MILF. The Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute (BLMI) has properly liquidated and the main purpose of the BLMI is to mold future leaders of the MILF to responsibly take over governance functions and to participate in the governance in their areas of jurisdiction, take government tasks,” Deles said.

Deles said the donation would help train MILF leaders “for peace and development rather than training for war.”

“I hope the entire Filipino people will understand the nature of the donation and it will not be used to fan the fire. We know fully well that emotions were aroused because of what had happened in Al-Barka,” she said.

Ceasefire mechanism

Deles also said a ceasefire mechanism would be strictly observed in the hunt for the perpetrators of the Al-Barka killings.

She said a formal complaint regarding ceasefire violation would be filed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) before the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostility (CCCH), which would discuss the matter with its MILF counterpart. The issue would later be discussed in detail by the peace negotiators.

“That process is under our watch. That mechanism will be pursued to its conclusion,” she said.

“In fact, the ceasefire mechanism can help to ensure that law enforcement is more targeted and really working,” Deles said.

The Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team (IMT), for its part, is set to verify on Nov. 7 to 12 the circumstances surrounding the recent hostilities between soldiers and MILF rebels in Zamboanga Sibugay and Basilan.

The IMT, comprising police and military officers from Malaysia, Brunei and Libya as well as non-uniformed representatives from Japan, Norway and the European Union, has been monitoring the 1997 Agreement on General Cessation of Hostilities between the government and the MILF since 2003. The IMT findings will be forwarded to the government and MILF peace panels.

Cynthia Petrigh, European Union representative to the IMT, has urged MILF guerrillas during a visit to Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao last week, to observe international laws on human rights and on treatment of “prisoners of war.”

Meanwhile, the military said it is stepping up its intelligence operations to ensure that no violation of the ceasefire agreement is committed in the hunt for the perpetrators of the Al-Barka killings.

“Efforts will continue to exact justice for our fallen soldiers, not just with this incident but including the previous case using the ceasefire mechanism,” said Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief.

But some soldiers in the field have expressed doubts on the effectiveness of a ceasefire mechanism, citing “blood ties and sympathetic support from villagers” for the MILF fighters involved in the Al-Barka carnage.

Smaller and smaller

At Malacañang, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the world is getting “smaller and smaller” for the perpetrators of the Zamboanga Sibugay and Basilan hostilities because of the ongoing military operations.

“The President was very clear that lawless elements would be the ones to be pursued and the actions must be focused and supported by intelligence (information),” she said over radio station dzRB.

“The President does not want civilians and families to be affected. So the President wants a focused and very well-directed efforts,” Valte said.

She said bringing those responsible for the killings to justice “is only a question of time, a question of when.”

Valte said the President was also very clear in his order for military officials to “take care of our men.”

Valte declined to comment on reports that the commanders tasked to carry out the operation in Al-Barka did not brief the soldiers on the true nature of their operation.

“We would rather wait for the results of the investigation being conducted,” Valte said.

Asked why the Palace would feel satisfied with the military operations even if none of their targets have been arrested, Valte said the military has succeeded in restoring peace and order in Zamboanga Sibugay and Basilan.

She said it’s the provincial government of Zamboanga Sibugay that had asked for help in stopping robbery, kidnapping and extortion activities in the province.

“So these are the lawless elements that we also want to capture so the sense of normalcy will return in the area,” Valte said. - With Aurea Calica, Roel Pareño, John Unson