Cotabato leaders’ role in peace process seen

COTABATO CITY — Residents here are confident that Central Mindanao would soon have "hometown peace and development packages" now that two local residents are at the helm of organizations that complement the Southern peace process.

The city’s former mayor, Virgilio Leyretana, took his oath in Davao City last week as chairman of the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCO), which operates under the ministerial control of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza.

Leyretana, a long-time deputy presidential assistant for Mindanao, was designated as MEDCO chairman early this month.

Last Oct. 1, Datu Zamzamin Ampatuan was also installed as administrator of the newly reactivated Southern Philippines Development Authority.

Although from the second district of Maguindanao, Ampatuan resides in Cotabato City.

"These two leaders will play big roles in the peace process, being from Central Mindanao themselves. With their qualifications, they surely can both perform their jobs efficiently," said the regional trade secretary of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), lawyer Ishak Mastura, apparently referring to Leyretana and Ampatuan.

Leyretana, a staunch advocate of Muslim-Christian solidarity, said he would focus his attention on how the MEDCO can maximize its contributions to the enhancement of the Mindanao peace process.