MANILA, Philippines - For President Aquino, there is no other option but to continue with peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) despite the Mamasapano, Maguindanao incident on Jan. 25.
A new timeline for the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) may, however, have to be followed.
In a press briefing yesterday, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the bill to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao had been pushed back even before the Mamasapano incident, since the original target date for its passage was November or December of last year.
Because of the developments in Mamasapano where 44 members of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (SAF) were killed in a clash with MILF forces and other Moro rebels in Mamasapano, further delays in the passage of the proposed bill were inevitable.
SAF troopers clashed with MILF, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and a private armed group in the operation to get suspected international terrorists – Malaysian bomb maker Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and his Filipino cohort Basit Usman.
“Ito po ang sinabi ng Pangulo: Uulitin natin, tuloy na tuloy ito (This is what the President said: I repeat, this will continue). There is not a better alternative for the rest of the country. How does banditry by ASG (Abu Sayyaf group) help anyone? It’s time to make a stand. I am for peace or I am for war,” Coloma quoted the President as saying during his meeting with leaders and members of the House of Representatives in Malacañang last Monday.
Coloma said there is no politician who will stand up for war. – With Delon Porcalla, Louella Desiderio, Mike Frialde, Robertzon Ramirez