Gov't denies peace talks with MILF hit snag

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - The government’s peace panel denied Friday the GPH-MILF talks have been stalled  contrary to speculations.

The government’s chief negotiator, Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, told Catholic station dxMS here via telephone that they have continuing engagements with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front  after the deferment two times of the supposed formal talks in Malaysia before the May 13 elections. 

“It doesn’t mean that if there are no meetings in Malaysia, the peace process is not moving,” Ferrer said.

The government  sought the postponement of the formal talks last March and in April, because  President Benigno Aquino III wanted to review the contents of all the annexes the two panels have  drafted for inclusion in the October 15, 2012 Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro.

Ferrer said the Transition Commission, which is chaired by the MILF chief negotiator Muhaquer Iqbal,  has held sessions recently.

Ferrer said the government is also to embark on “quick impact projects,” in areas covered by the 1997 Agreement on General Cessation of Hostilities, under Malacañang’s Sajahatra Bangsamoro program.

The Sajahatra, which President Aquino launched last February at Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao, is a  number of  socioeconomic activities to help  impoverished communities in known MILF enclaves.

Msgr. Jose Colin Bagaforo, auxiliary bishop of Cotabato, has appealed for the immediate resumption of the peace talks to allay apprehensions by the local communities.

Bagaforo also urged more transparency on the crafting of the remaining annexes for the FAB deal, which is to become the basis for the replacement of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with a new Bangsamoro self-governing entity.

Peace talks between the government and the MILF started January 7, 1997, but gained headway only in 2003 with the help of Malaysia as third party facilitator.  - John Unson