‘Replace Dureza with another Mindanaoan as chief peace negotiator’

DAVAO CITY — A Mindanaoan for a fellow Mindanaoan.

Thus pressed several sectors, which believe that somebody from Mindanao should replace Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza as chief government negotiator in the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). He quit the post last Friday.

"The one who should replace Dureza should be a Mindanaoan and not anybody from Luzon or outside of the island. The peace negotiations are a matter that only Mindanaoans understand best," said Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, who hails from Cagayan de Oro City.

Pimentel, however, admitted he still does not have anyone in mind who could possibly replace Dureza.

"But we could continue scouting for one," he said.

Irene Santiago, a member of the six-man government peace panel, opposed suggestions that a military officer head the panel.

"The problem in Mindanao cannot be solved militarily that’s why we don’t need a military officer as head of the panel. A Mindanaoan should head it," said Santiago, who chairs a group of Mindanao women leaders.

Although supportive of Dureza’s move to quit the peace panel, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte rejected suggestions that he be appointed chief government negotiator.

Dureza said he would rather "do something else that is equally important at the moment" now that the peace talks with the MILF are suspended.

Dureza, who was appointed as chief government negotiator shortly after President Arroyo assumed office in January 2001, said the chairmanship of the peace panel requires undivided attention considering the present status of the talks.

The government rejected the holding of exploratory talks, as proposed by the Malaysian government, in Kuala Lumpur starting last Friday, after MILF guerrillas attacked the town of Siocon in Zamboanga del Norte last May 4, killing at least 35 people and wounding several others.

Moro separatist rebels were also blamed for the spate of bombings throughout Mindanao since January, including the blasts that ripped through a waiting shed outside the Davao International Airport last March 4 and a row of food stalls at the Sasa wharf here last April 2.

At least 38 people were killed and over 200 others were wounded in the twin bombings.

The MILF was also implicated in Saturday’s bomb explosion in a market in Koronadal City, South Cotabato, that left 13 people dead and 33 others wounded.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu, however, refused to comment on Dureza’s resignation, saying the matter is internal to the government panel.

"That is not within our jurisdiction. That is strictly an internal matter to the government," he said.

Meanwhile, Dureza said he is retaining his two other posts as presidential assistant for Mindanao and as chairman of the Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco), in an effort to bring about development in Mindanao.

"I have done my level best to perform my roles at the same time. However, due to the present status of the peace talks and the urgency of the President’s directive to bring about development in Mindanao, I (believe) that I can give my best if I concentrate on the latter," he said.