Peace talks in jeopardy after Yule attacks

The government’s efforts to revive peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are in jeopardy following the latest attacks by the separatist group in Central Mindanao on Christmas eve that killed nine people and left several others wounded, a Malacañang official warned yesterday.

Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the government is undertaking two parallel investigations, one by police authorities and another by his office, “on the implications and effects on the peace process” of the incidents in three towns in the provinces of Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.

As of press time, President Arroyo was meeting with members of her Cabinet security cluster at the Mansion House in Baguio City to discuss peace and order issues, including the latest MILF attacks.

“The attacks are very unfortunate,” Esperon told The STAR in a telephone interview. “Definitely this adversely affects the peace process. The peace process must take its due course but it could be delayed by this.”

Esperon said the two investigations, both aimed at determining the perpetrators of the attacks, would complement each other.

However, the police would go for criminal prosecution before the courts and the peace office would pursue sanctions for possible ceasefire violations if it were proven that mainstream MILF rebels committed the strikes.

Esperon said rogue MILF factions, led by Ameril Umbra Kato and Abdullah Macapaar alias Commander Bravo, are not covered by the existing ceasefire agreement forged in 2003 between the rebel group and the government.

Kato and Macapaar’s men went on a rampage in central Mindanao last August shortly after both sides failed to sign the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain that was later declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

The attacks left over 60 people dead and thousands of families displaced.

The government disbanded its negotiating panel and launched consultations in communities and stakeholders in lieu of peace talks with the MILF.

The President also imposed pre-conditions that talks would resume only if the MILF agrees to include in the agenda the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of its members, and once the peace and order situation in central Mindanao improves.

Esperon, however, said he is also not discounting the remote possibility that the incident was not related to the MILF insurgency but other “factors on the ground.”

“We are really hoping that the MILF leadership can regain control of their forces, at least as a sign of good faith and proof of their pronouncements for peace,” he said.

“It would be very hard to resume talks if they cannot control their men,” he said.

Despite the attacks, the Arroyo administration is not losing sight on the need to forge a lasting peace in Mindanao to accelerate economic development in southern Philippines, Esperon added.

He said the moves to form the DDR advisory council, to be composed of lawmakers, members of academe, business leaders, Christian bishops and Muslim religious leaders as well as local executives, are in full swing.

New peace panel formed

Meanwhile, President Arroyo yesterday named lawyer Tomas Cabili Jr. as a member of the new government panel negotiating peace with the MILF.

Headed by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis, the new peace panel is comprised of Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman, General Santos City Mayor Adelbert Antonino, former sectoral lawmaker Ronald Adamat and Cabili.

Esperon said Pangandaman shall provide continuity to the peace process representing the Muslims; Antonino will represent the local executives and the Christian community in Mindanao; while Adamat who is from Maguindanao will represent the Lumads.

“He (Adamat) was co-author of the Indigenous People’s Rights Act (IPRA) law,” he said.

“As the President reiterated in her remarks during the (Armed Forces of the Philippines) anniversary, she said we are committed to peace and restarting peace process. In this regard, the President announced that we must proceed. We are assembling to restart peace in a way that upholds peace following strong sentiment of the community and rule of law.”

Esperon said they are also creating the Facilitator Security and Economic Monitoring Team and another body to be called the committee on Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration.

“The DDR is an advisory group that will advise the GRP panel on disarmament, demobilization and reintegration program of the government for the rebel returnees,” he said.

The President has instructed the panel to conduct dialogues in tandem with the ongoing dialogue on the ground and prepare for negotiation with the MILF.

“We have almost all the sectors represented now in the four names that we have mentioned. They would represent the majority in Mindanao. We would like to have strong representations of all sectors.”

Esperon said the government wants to start the peace process with the MILF within the year.

“We would have to consult with other countries involved,” he said. “They will join us in the security monitoring team that will provide uniformed personnel on the ceasefire and economic monitoring team which will be composed of countries that have projects and investments in Mindanao.”

The new government peace panel must prepare for dialogues with communities and formulate a strategy guided by instructions from the National Security Council, Esperon said. – Jose Rodel Clapano