MILF sees no reversal of SC ruling on ancestral domain

MANILA, Philippines – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) sees no chance that the Supreme Court would reverse its ruling over the scrapped Bangsamoro homeland deal with the government.

MILF deputy spokesman Khaled Musa said any reversal in the SC ruling that declared the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) with the government unconstitutional is a remote possibility.

In a statement posted on the MILF’s official website, Musa said the high tribunal itself is against the MOA in the first place.

“The Supreme Court reversing itself on such an important issue that it is against anyway either as an individual or as justice is to the range of 1,000,000 to 1 against,” Musa said.

Musa said the seven justices who voted in favor of the MOA should be considered as “men of reason and integrity.”

The Muslim Legal Assistance led by Nasser Marohomsalic filed a motion for reconsideration before the SC, arguing that the MOA-AD does not directly violate the Constitution but only seeks to amend it to accommodate the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people.

Last Oct. 14, the SC declared the MOA-AD a violation of the Constitution for allowing the separation of the country’s patrimonial territory.

The high court earlier issued a temporary restraining order against the government and the MILF in signing the MOA-AD that would have allowed the rebel group self-rule over an expanded autonomous region in Mindanao.

The MILF’s chief peace negotiator, Mohaqher Iqbal, said they would still hold the government accountable for the MOA-AD since it is already a “done deal.”

Iqbal said the MILF would only return to the negotiating table if the government fulfills its end of the bargain by implementing the MOA-AD.

The MILF said the SC ruling drove some rebel leaders to stage attacks on some villages in Central Mindanao, resulting in numerous deaths, mostly civilians.

The MILF has refused to turn over Commanders Ameril Ombra Kato and Abdurahman Macapaar, alias Kumander Bravo, who were behind the attacks.

The government, in turn, offered P10 million for the capture of the rogue commanders. The military has branded the two rebel commanders as terrorists.

Lt. Col. Adane Adriatico, spokesman of the Army’s 1st Tabak Division, said the attacks carried out by Kato and Macapaar were not for the pursuit of ideology.

Adriatico particularly noted the recent television interview of Macapaar taunting the government to go after him.

“His (Macapaar’s) challenge just recently nailed him more when he called for ‘ubusan ng lahi.’ (It only showed) his barbarism,” Adriatico said.

Maj. Eugene Batara Jr., spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command, said military forces in the region were placed on higher alert against bombing attacks by MILF sympathizers.

Batara said the bombing attacks were meant to divert military offensives against the MILF recalcitrants. – With Sandy Araneta and Roel Pareño