Kuala Lumpur, Apr. 24 – The 27th formal exploratory talks between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) began with high hopes as both parties identified preliminary decision points on principles that will serve as a framework for the eventual signing of a peace agreement.
“Our panels decided to look at what may be common between our proposals. We have identified at least eleven points where we might have an agreement and found language for at least ten points,” GPH panel chair Dean Marvic Leonen said, emphasizing that the government has moved beyond its “three-for-one” proposal.
“Our panels, and our principals, know that these are only an initial set of agreements which must be contextualized later by the full final agreement,” he added.
To mark their agreement and progress, the GPH panel agreed to craft it in a signable document as suggested by its counterparts in the MILF.
The chief negotiator, however, clarified to the MILF that these decision points are “not unreasonably set in stone.”
Leonen in his opening statement also addressed sensitive issues raised about the GPH and its position in relation to the current negotiations to “collectively situate ourselves as to where we are in the process.”
Decision-making procedures
In response to the MILF’s question on who is actually calling the shots, Leonen emphasized that the GPH panel draws its authority from President Benigno Aquino III, who, on the other hand, “draws his constitutional authority to conduct these negotiations from various sources in the 1987 constitution.”
According to Leonen, “There is an existing Memorandum of Instructions to the Panel drawing the general framework of the mandate of the panel and delineating the roles of the Chair as well as the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.”
Part of the President’s directive is for the panel to do consultations with stakeholders. To date, the GPH panel has conducted no less than 66 meetings including those with “the Senate and the House of Representatives, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, local government units from mayors to governors and also the Regional Governor of the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). We have also conducted formal and informal meetings with various components of civil society. On some occasions, we have also sat down with the members of the media,” Leonen said.
He also discussed points on power sharing and autonomy. He explained that with regard to these national matters, “what we will be bringing is the collective words of the experts in our Bureaucracy including inputs coming from our consultations with the people.”
Peace is the option
Aside from taking note of the decision points shared by the government with the MILF in their proposals, Leonen also underlined that despite the different standpoints of the two parties, they continue to share one common goal of attaining just peace in Mindanao. –http://opapp.gov.ph/milf/news/gph-milf-identify-common-points-move-closer-signing-peace-pact
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