MILF congratulates Obama, militants not too impressed

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front on Thursday congratulated US President Barack Obama for his re-election this week. MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim said the MILF and the Bangsamoro share the US' vision for peace, progress and development Mindanao. “The MILF warmly welcomes the successful holding of the recent elections in the United States and the decisive victory of President Obama over Mitt Romney, the Republican challenger. The Bangsamoro and the United States share a common vision for better Mindanao where just peace, progress, and development are in the pipeline after the signing of the celebrated Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro," he said, according to an article on the MILF website. He added the MILF is particularly grateful for the Obama administration's expression of support for the framework peace agreement between the government and the MILF. The Philippine government and the MILF had signed a framework peace agreement last Oct. 15. The pact aims to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with a Bangsamoro political entity. Obama defeated challenger Mitt Romney after a bitter and historically expensive race. Militants: another 4 years of Obama, another 4 years of unequal PHL-US ties Meanwhile, left-leaning militant groups on Wednesday said another four years of Obama as US President may just mean another four years of continued "unequal" ties between the US and the Philippines. Umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan also said the people can expect the administration of President Benigno Aquino III to remain "subservient" to the US. "(We expect there) will be no significant changes in the unequal PH-US relations that has plagued the Philippines for decades. Obama’s victory means the continuation of current US policies which include more of the same destructive neo-liberal economics and more of the same drive for US military hegemony," Bayan said. It added it expects Aquino to continue the Philippine government’s "policy of subservience" to US dictates, "under the illusion that the US is assisting the Philippines." "Aquino will remain loyal to US dictates and uphold US interests in this region," it said. Bayan also said the so-called special relations between the Philippines and the US will become “more lopsided than ever.” It said the US may exploit the so-called “special ties” with the Philippines in its efforts to beef up its military presence in Asia. –KG