MILF urges media to be prudent in covering peace deal with gov't

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - Leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Saturday urged journalists to exercise prudence in reporting on the Mindanao peace process to prevent misleading the public on the deal between the government and the MILF.

“Let’s avoid creating scenarios depicting that the efforts of both sides to build lasting peace in Mindanao is doomed to fail,” said Ghadzali Jaafar, the MILF’s vice chairman for political affairs.

Jaafar aired his appeal over a local radio station to clarify that the MILF had not announced that its negotiation with government is now close to a standoff, due to worsening misunderstandings on the contents of the draft Basic Bangsamoro Law (BBL).

He also refuted published reports purporting that the MILF had warned the government of resumption of hostilities if both sides fail to reach a consensus on the contents of the draft BBL.

“We did not warn the government. We never give warning to the government because hindi naman ugali ng leadership ng MILF na magbigay ng warning,” Jaafar said.

The draft BBL, if passed by Congress into law and ratified via a referendum in selected areas in Mindanao, will, in effect, replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with an MILF-led Bangsamoro political entity.

“Sometimes there’s a problem with some of our brothers and sisters in the media. They are trying to put words into our mouths na hindi naman namin sinasabi. Dapat makatulong tayo sa problema, hindi yung tayo pa ang maka pagpapalaki nito,” Jaafar said.

He said the MILF remains steadfast in its resolve to have a peaceful, negotiated settlement of the decades-old Mindanao Moro issue.

MILF’s chief negotiator, Mohagher Iqbal, concurrent presiding chair of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, also denied having accused President Benigno Aquino III, as stated in a recent published report, of reneging on a promise to be flexible in applying Constitutional restraints on the contents of the draft BBL.

“I have never said those words, nor will I ever say that about the president,” Iqbal said.

The GPH and MILF panels will wind up on Sunday the 10-day talks on the contents of the draft BBL at a resort hotel in Davao City.

Iqbal and Jaafar had both said the MILF is keen on resolving peacefully on the negotiating table all misunderstandings on certain provisions of the draft BBL.