Esperon: Same tack in peace negotiations with MILF

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Former Armed Forces Chief of Staff and palace peace adviser Secretary Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said he is adopting a similar formula when he was with the military in dealing with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Esperon said while in the military combat, it was patience and sincerity, which moved the government troops in dealing with the rebels to avert bigger hostilities.

“It’s the same old formula. It takes time to negotiate but the ingredients are the same – patience and sincerity,” the former Armed Forces chief said following his visits in various parts of Mindanao to assess the situation.

It was Esperon’s patience that helped him and his military forces during his term as AFP chief in neutralizing the elusive young Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani and his supposed heir-apparent Jainal Antel Sali Jr. alias Abu Solaiman. The two leaders killed in 2006 and early 2007 respectively.

Esperon said that just like in military operation, peace talks and negotiations will take time before an accord will be agreed upon by both panels.

“It’s a difficult undertaking but it’s always a pleasure seeking peace whether you are a soldier going to battle or as a negotiator,” Esperon added.

Esperon also said he had his ways of attaining peace and “this is (as negotiator) another way of doing it, so, it’s just the same.”

The former AFP chief vowed to equal the expectations of finding a peaceful solution to the MILF Bangsamoro problem even as he earlier announced a possible signing of parts of the agreement within this month.

In related developments, Esperon said the government will not deal with the Abu Sayyaf terrorists in negotiation citing the group of a bunch of plain criminals without ideology.

He made the statement with the recent bombing and kidnapping in Western Mindanao involving the Abu Sayyaf, tagged to have links with the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and the al-Qaeda.

The Abu Sayyaf and lost command rebels have been pinpointed in the four kidnapping incidents of which the high profile one was the kidnapping of ABS-CBN senior anchor Ces Drilon, two cameramen and Mindanao State University professor Octavio Dinampo in Sulu.

Esperon said the police and military forces have been directed to neutralize the terrorists who are presently holding captive a registered young Zamboangeña nurse in Tuburan, Basilan.

Preciosa Feliciano, 24, is believed to be in the custody of Commander Usman Lidjal, who has a dual personality as Abu Sayyaf and lost command rebel.