The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Wednesday welcomed the Aquino administration’s move to retain Malaysia as the third party facilitator when the government resumes its peace talks with the secessionist group by the end of this month. MILF committee on information chairman Mohagher Iqbal said the government’s decision to keep Malaysia as the third party facilitator will definitely "hasten the early resumption of talks." "That’s a very good development. It will facilitate the early resumption of the talks, kasi kapag pinalitan ang Malaysia, it would take some time," he told reporters on Wednesday. He added that it was a "good" decision on the part of the government since Malaysia has the "institutional memory" regarding the peace talks. Iqbal, however, said the MILF still has no time frame as to when its talks with the government will resume. On Tuesday, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said President Benigno Aquino III has decided to retain Malaysia as the third party facilitator in the government-MILF peace talks — same as in the previous administration. (See: Malaysia still 3rd party facilitator in GRP-MILF talks)
The government panel, which will be headed by University of the Philippines College of Law dean Marvic Leonen, is expected to resume negotiations with the MILF after the Ramadan. (See: MILF: Peace talks likely to resume by end-Sept) The government and the MILF began peace talks in 1997. The Arroyo administration’s peace efforts with the MILF, however, were jeopardized in late 2008 when the Supreme Court barred the signing -- and eventually ruled as unconstitutional-- of a memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain between the government and the MILF expanding the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The junking of the MOA-AD triggered violent acts from some MILF rebel commanders. Subsequent discussions between the government and the Moro secessionists, however, resulted in an agreement to continue talks under the next administration. — with Andreo Calonzo/RSJ/KBK
