'Deal with MILF would be within ambit of Constitution'

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has declared that any agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front would be within the ambit of the Constitution and that Malaysia has promised to help finish the negotiations as soon as possible. 

The previous administration entered into a memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain with the MILF that was struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Aquino said in a forum on foreign policies in New York that the Malaysian government as the third party facilitator of the negotiations indicated intense support for an agreement as soon as possible. 

He said the Malaysian foreign minister told him that they would focus on trying to do it within his term.

The President said the apparent discipline being imposed on the MILF members was also welcome.  

“We are also heartened that they have in a sense toned down their demands from the previous regime. When there were talks previously that needed solutions that went beyond the ambit of our Constitution, now it seems that to a large degree it will be within the ambit of our Constitution. So that makes it easier to come to terms with them,” Aquino said. 

Aquino said his government is hopeful that issues between the government and the MILF would be resolved and that exact date of the peace talks’ resumption would be announced soon. 

He said it was important to keep the MILF on the government so the terrorist groups like the Abu Sayyaf would be deprived of friendly bases and become more marginalized. 

Aquino said he would like Mindanao to become not just a land of promise but a land of promise realized. 

In New York, Aquino also personally expressed his gratitude to Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak for Malaysia’s continuing active role in the attainment of lasting peace in Mindanao during the one-on-one talk on Sept. 24 on the side of the United Nations General Assembly.

He briefed the Malaysian leader on the Philippines’ readiness to resume peace negotiations in October.