Gov’t offers MILF new dev’t agency, bigger ARMM

Malacañang bared yesterday the Arroyo administration’s proposed talking points to convince the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to enter into a final peace agreement with the government.

Presidential adviser on the peace process Eduardo Ermita said the talking points include the proposed creation of a Bangsamoro Development Authority (BMDA) and the possible amendment of the law that created the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to expand the number of provinces under its jurisdiction.

Offhand, he said a "very sticky" issue would come up in the peace talks — the possibility of reintegrating former MILF rebels into the ranks of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) as part of the "demobilization" of the armed elements of the MILF.

"We could not, of course, have an Armed Forces where 10 percent or 20 percent (are) former rebels," Ermita said.

He added that "we cannot agree to this. These are matters that we have to look very closely and communicate with the AFP and the PNP."

About 1,500 members of the Moro National Liberation Front were integrated into the AFP and PNP under the September 1996 peace pact with the MNLF.

Ermita told Palace reporters that he has already presented the proposals, contained in a draft peace agreement with the MILF, and discussed them with leaders and members of Congress last Friday.

He said they have already impressed upon the leaders of Congress that the government cannot give the MILF the same concessions given to the MNLF.

"Because it’s the same issue, the same problem, the same group and the same geography," Ermita said.

He noted that the government came up with new proposals to convince the MILF to enter into a final peace agreement, without necessarily giving the same concessions previously awarded to the MNLF.

One of the proposals that was questioned by the leaders of Congress, according to Ermita, was the "strengthening and expanding" of the ARMM, which is composed, at present, of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

He explained that Muslim-dominated municipalities that hope to join the ARMM would have to be constituted into another province "if Congress will authorize another plebiscite."

"This will have to go through Congress to follow the law on how to constitute several towns into a new province," Ermita said, noting that the law that created the ARMM may also have to be amended.

He added that lawmakers also grilled him on the proposed legislation to create the BMDA.

"We said that the BMDA is one institution supposed to represent the MILF in their socio-economic activities," Ermita said.

He explained that the government is "trying to be more accommodating by converting this agency into an authority, so that it will have broad powers and it could be supported by the national government."

The BMDA was apparently patterned after the Ramos administration’s offer of a transitory body called the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development (SPCPD) to entice the MNLF leaders to sign the peace pact.

Ermita also disclosed that former American officials connected with the United States Institute for Peace (USIP) will be arriving in Manila as soon as peace talks resume between the government and the MILF. They will also discuss the specific role that will be played by the US in the peace talks.

The USIP, a foreign policy think tank of the US government, organized a team composed of retired ambassadors to the Philippines to facilitate US participation in the talks.

Ermita said among the members of team are USIP president Richard Solomon and ambassadors Frank Weisner, Nicholas Platt and Richard Murphy.

Kabalu relieved as MILF spokesman

Lawyer Eid Kabalu was relieved yesterday of his position as MILF spokesman to ensure the smooth flow of peace talks between the government and the Muslim separatist group.

Ermita said Malacañang welcomed Kabalu’s relief. He said the MILF leadership told him that Kabalu was relieved for making controversial statements that served to strain, rather than improve, relations between the government and the MILF.

The MILF also clarified that MILF chairman Hashim Salamat will only appear during the signing of a final peace pact with the government. He will not sit as chairman of the MILF peace panel while negotiations are underway.

Kabalu will be replaced by former labor arbiter Musib Buat, who will act as MILF’s official spokesman during the peace negotiations. Incumbent MILF information officer Mohagher Iqbal will handle all other matters related to the MILF. — With Sammy Santos, Jose Rodel Clapano, AP