Esperon to MILF: peace process continues; MOA-AD will be major reference

COTABATO CITY (MindaNews/13 September) -- Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon has relayed a four-point message to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) through the Malaysian facilitator, and this includes the continuation of the peace process and the use of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) as “major reference, if and when the talks resume.”

Esperon went to Malaysia on Thursday as President Arroyo’s Special Envoy to Malaysian Prime Minister (PM) Abdullah Badawi, to hand over a personal letter “explaining the non-signing of the MOA-AD, and to discuss and explore ways of sustaining the peace process and other related issues in Mindanao,” according to a press statement from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.
Esperon was accompanied in the mission by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) Director-General Pedro Cabuay Jr.

Esperon met with Dato Othman Abdul Razak, the Prime Ministers’ appointed GRP-MILF Talks Facilitator, “who was straightforward in asking what the GRP would like to be relayed to the MILF.”

The former Armed Forces chief of staff, replied: “One, the peace process continues. Two, calmer and cooler MILF leaders must take control while Umbra Kato and Bravo must be turned into the Philippine authorities. Three, the MOA-AD will become a major reference, if and when the talks resume. And four, Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) must be frontloaded in the agenda of future talks.”

Disarmament, however, “is not a precondition to the resumption of talks,” the press statement read.

Asked to comment on the four-point message of Esperon, MILF peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal replied, “can’t comment. We need official communication from Kuala Lumpur.”

The Philippine government and MILF had initialed the MOA-AD on July 27 and were scheduled to formally sign the agreement on August 5. A temporary restraining order (TRO), however, was issued by the Supreme Court, preventing the government peace panel chair from signing the agreement.

The MOA-AD was supposed to have been the last of the agreements for the three agenda items prior to negotiations on the comprehensive peace agreement.

Following the protests against the MOA, the Philippine government announced initially it would not sign it in its present form but the following week added it won’t also sign it in whatever form.

On September 3, Malacanang announced the dissolution of the government peace panel and the shift in “peace paradigm” of negotiating with armed groups only on the basis of DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration).

Esperon, the press statement said, was received in the Prime Minister’s office in Putrajaya where Badawi expressed concern over the current situation in Mindanao.

The Prime Minister, however, “impressed his optimism to Sec. Esperon by saying that Malaysia remains hopeful the Philippines will eventually find the key to peace in Mindanao.”

Earlier in the day, Esperon met with Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Urtama Dr Rais Yatim at his office in Putrajaya. The latter “expressed concern on the escalation of hostilities” in Mindanao but Esperon said he explained the military operations are “target-specific and area-delimited, and are extremely important for the security of the people and the stability in the affected areas.”

Esperon’s press statement added that Malaysia has “expressed willingness to continue as facilitator of the talks and lead country of the International Monitoring Team (IMT).”

The tour of duty of this IMT batch would have ended August 31 this year but was extended to three more months.

Other countries participating in the IMT are Malaysia ; Brunei , Libya and the lone non-soldier, Japan.

Esperon also met with his former counterpart, General Dato Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Zainal, the Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces.

”General Aziz agreed that Bangsamoro aspirations can be accommodated within Philippine sovereignty and constitution. He gave the assurance that the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) will always be ready to support the peace process. If requested, the MAF is ready to increase deployment in the IMT,” the press statement read. (Source: MindaNews)