Enrile urges sharing of concessions between MNLF, MILF

DAVAO City -- Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile proposed yesterday a sharing of government-granted concessions between the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and its breakaway faction, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

In urging the government to push for the sharing scheme, Enrile hinted that the setup could resolve such contentious issues as overlapping territorial claims of the two Muslim groups.

Enrile stressed, however, that any compromise formula on the sharing of concessions should be within the limits of the Constitution and the peace accord forged in 1996 between the government and the MNLF.

After three years of informal negotiations, formal peace talks between the government and the MILF have started.

"There has to be a sharing of concessions here since there has also been certain matters such as the issue on territory that were granted to the MNLF under the Autonomy Law, while the MILF is also claiming the same areas as that of the MNLF," Enrile pointed out.

Areas being claimed by the MILF as its territory are part of the 10 cities and 14 provinces covered by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) which is under the supervision of MNLF chief Nur Misuari.

Sen. Rodolfo Biazon also advised the government to abide by the Charter in crafting a peace accord with the MILF.

"These concessions should be lawful and should not violate the Constitution," Biazon said.

Meanwhile, the plebiscite in 10 cities and 14 provinces proposed to be covered by the ARMM may push through in September.

The conduct of the plebiscite was part of the concessions granted by the government to the MNLF under the Sept. 2, 1996 peace treaty.

"It is an agreement that the country has to honor. There is nothing we can do about it," Enrile said.

Enrile and some of his colleagues belonging to the Senate committees on local government and finance have conducted public hearings on the issue in at least 35 percent of the areas envisioned to be attached to the expanded ARMM.

At present, the ARMM comprises only the provinces of Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao. Under the 1976 Tripoli Agreement which provided for an expanded ARMM, the autonomous region should include the provinces of Basilan, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur, as well as the cities of Cotabato, Dapitan, General Santos, Iligan, Marawi, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa, Zamboanga and Kidapawan.

Sen. Juan Flavier said residents of the additional areas should cast their vote in the plebiscite on the inclusion of their locality in the ARMM.

"If they do not participate in the plebiscite, these areas are going to lose by default and they will instead find themselves included in the ARMM, contrary to what they really want," Flavier said.

He also said the plebiscite provides an opportunity for Misuari's critics to express their sentiments. "But if they do not participate, they will have more of the leadership style of Misuari."

Biazon said the quest for peace in Mindanao would not be successful without the participation of concerned residents in the plebiscite.

Enrile also said the plebiscite will correct the misimpression by the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) that the Philippine government does not want to settle the peace problem in Mindanao.

"The OIC does not recognize the previous plebiscites on the ARMM. Whatever will be the result of the coming plebiscite, at least they will know by then," Enrile said.

Enrile also noted that distrust continues to prevail between Christians and Muslims in Mindanao.

"We need to correct the wrong impression among Christians that belonging to the ARMM would mean turning into a Muslim. It is wrong. It should be understood that the Constitution still exists and has to be followed even if an area is autonomous," Enrile said. --