OPAPP says 31st GPH-MILF exploratory talks a success

MANILA, Sept. 8 (PNA) — The four-day exploratory talks between the peace panels of the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front successfully ended in Kuala Lumpur Saturday, according to a GPH-MILF joint statement released by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).

The joint statement signed by Marvic Leonen, chief negotiator of the government peace panel, and Mohagher Iqbal, MILF peace panel chair, said both sides “reached substantive gains in the negotiations” through the facilitation of Malaysia.

Tengku Dato’ Ab Ghafar Tengku Mohamed, Malaysian facilitator, witnessed the signing of the joint statement.https://mail.google.com/mail/images/cleardot.gif

In his closing statement, Leonen said: “We are definitely moving forward. By next meeting, we hope that we not only move forward but find a quantum leap in our negotiations.”

At the same time, Leonen stressed the “urgency in resolving our issues,” adding that ”both sides are eager to implement.”

“In the implementation,” he said, “we will discover more challenges in cooperation that could never have been envisioned with all the collective and considered foresights of our negotiating teams. Both sides see the necessity of providing the most secure and conducive environment for the democratic empowerment of all as well as the betterment or development of all communities.”

“The four-day meeting which was marked with mutual trust, sincerity and cordiality, successfully worked towards the crafting of a framework agreement,” the statement said.

It said “the respective Technical Working Groups (TWGs) continued their discussions, reached consensus on many issues and submitted preliminary reports which were duly noted by the panels.”

The next round of talks will be held before the end of this month to discuss unresolved issues such as power and wealth sharing.

In describing the just-concluded talks, Leonen said: “What we experienced today and the past few days during this 31st Formal Exploratory Talks comes closest perhaps to what we can consider as problem-solving.”

He also said that the negotiation was “ably facilitated by Tengku Dato Abdul Ghafar Tengku Mohamed both in the plenary and the technical working groups,” adding it “was marked by what I would like to call principled collegiality.”

“We have kept to our mandates but found, many times, creative options and agreement on these options,” Leonen said.

Leonen also lauded the MILF and its various components, the International Contact Group, the facilitator, and the secretariat.

The GPH panel chair said “it has been an honor to be in the GPH team that can serve as your able counterpart to addressing the Bangsamoro question.”

“It continues to be an honor. I am humbled and admit a certain level of guarded excitement as we make history in measured, but certainly painstaking steps. We continue to learn from you. These are indeed exciting times. Let us make history together,” Leonen said.

The just-concluded talk was the 31st formal negotiations between the GPH and MILF since December 2009.

At the same time, the joint statement said that “the Parties expressed their appreciation to His Excellency President Benigno Simeon Aquino III for his commitment to a just and lasting peace in Mindanao, to His Excellency Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak for his continued support in the facilitation of the GPH-MILF Peace Talks, and to the members of the MILF Central Committee headed by Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim for their continued commitment to the peaceful resolution of the Bangsamoro Question.”

They also expressed their gratitude to the members of the International Contact Group (ICG), namely Japan, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Republic of Turkey, the United Kingdom, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, Conciliation Resources, Muhammadiyah, and The Asia Foundation for helping push the peace process.

The government has been grappling with the 40-year-old Mindanao armed conflict that had claimed over 150,000 lives and destroyed infrastructure facilities and property worth billions of pesos over the years, according to official estimates.

The administration of President Aquino has vowed to pursue the peace talks with the MILF with the end in view of forging a final peace agreement.

In the midst of the negotiations, renegade rebel groups the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM) launched several attacks on government forces in some parts of Central Mindanao aimed at derailing the peace process.

But the GPH and the MILF panels said they “will work together to ensure that these spoilers will not succeed as the Parties continue to push forward to bring just and lasting peace to our peoples and communities.”

OPAPP Secretary Teresita-Quintos Deles said the Aquino government was firm in its position to pursue law enforcement operations against BIFM, led by Ameril Umra Kato.

She said Kato is not considered part of the MILF and thus not covered by any ceasefire agreement.

The MILF disassociated itself from Kato’s renegade group last year and declared him as a “bougat or one who defies or does not obey an order” and engages in lawless actions, Deles said in a previous statement. (PNA)

Army spokesman tags NPA rebels as peace saboteurs and ‘political terrorists’

MANILA, Oct. 8 (PNA) -– The spokesman of the Philippine Army Saturday branded the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels as peace saboteurs and political terrorists following last Monday’s attacks by about 300 insurgents on three mining firms in Surigao del Norte.

Col. Tony Parlade, Army spokesman, said the coordinated attacks have “confirmed our earlier statements that their leadership (Communist Party of the Philippines/National Democratic Front (CPP/NDF) does not have control over their local terrorist leaders.”

Parlade said that the raids have shown that CPP/NPA/NDF leadership has no control over Jorge Madlos, a ranking rebel leader operating in north eastern Mindanao, or his son who have defied orders by carrying out attacks despite an ongoing peace talks.

“This is another cheap political stunt of the CPP that proves too costly to our economy,” Parlade said, adding that “your Army (Philippine Army) can only do so much.”

“Eventually, the people and other stakeholders should decide whether to support these bandits or their government to stop these saboteurs of peace and progress,” he said.

“We don’t want anymore of these ‘political terrorists’”, Parlade said.

Last Monday, some 300 heavily armed NPA rebels simultaneously attacked the Taganito Mining Company, Nickel Asia Corp., and the Platinum Metal Corp. all in Claver, Surigao del Norte and burned heavy equipment worth P3 billion.

NPA RAID. Burned equipment of Nickel Asia

Destroyed by the rebels were 132 dump trucks, nine barges, 22 backhoes, two cranes, two bulldozers, two compactors, one grader, several buildings and office equipment.

The rebels were infuriated when the three companies refused to pay revolution tax demanded by the NPA.

The coordinated attacks came at a time when the government and the NDF peace panels were scheduled to resume their peace negotiations in Oslo, Norway later this month.

Supt. Martin Gamba, spokesman of Police Regional Office 13, has confirmed the nefarious activities of the NPA in Surigao del Norte.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has launched a counter offensive against the NPA rebels who attacked the three mining companies.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos-Deles said that these atrocities by the communist have made the peace process difficult.

“Peace talks are more difficult when there is no accompanying ceasefire on the ground,” Deles.

“Hostile attacks such as the one conducted by the NPA in three mining areas in Surigao del Norte undermine people’s confidence in the peace process, creating a ‘disconnect’ between agreements made on the peace table and what is happening on the ground.”

But in spite of the attacks, Deles said the “government is still committed to push through with the peace negotiations. We continue to look for peaceful resolution to all armed conflict — and hope the other party will listen more to our people’s aspirations for peace and devote more energies on making the peace table work.” (PNA)

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