Gov’t, MILF to resume talks in July, says Valte

From the Daily Tribune (May 20): Gov’t, MILF to resume talks in July, says Valte

With a hefty amount of P600 million allocation, the peace process of President Aquino with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is set to roll in July, presidential deputy spokesman Abigail Valte said.

Valte said that Secretary to the Cabinet Rene Almendraz confirmed there would be an scheduled meeting with the MILF in Cotabato City in July to further discuss matters on Bangsamoro Sajahatra project.

“There will be a two-day joint coordinating committee meeting between the government of the Philippines and the MILF in preparation for the provincial caravans of the program,” Valte said.

On April 15, six months after the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) on Oct. 15, 2012 and four months past their supposed yearend 2012 deadline to finish the four annexes that would complete the comprehensive peace agreement, the government (GRP) and the MILF peace panels have signed five documents except the most important: the Annexes on Power-sharing, Wealth-sharing and Normalization.

Within the six-month period, the peace panels signed one Annex – on Transition Arrangements and Modalities; three Terms of References – for the Third Party Monitoring Team (TPMT), the Independent Commission on Policing (ICP), and the Sajahatra Bangsamoro; and a certificate extending the tours of duty of the Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team (IMT) up to March 2014 and the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) until Feb. 14, 2014  “in recognition of their important roles in the peace process, without prejudice to adjustments that may be needed pursuant to developments in the crafting of the Annexes to the FAB.”

In the FAB, Aquino on Dec. 17 issued Executive Order (EO) 120 creating the Transition Commission (TransCom).

But Iqbal on April 3 said that “we cannot proceed to discuss the substantive issues unless the three remaining annexes will be discussed and signed by the parties.”
Both panels had agreed to “meet again after the May 13 Philippine elections” and “exchange notes” between now and their next meeting, through the Malaysian facilitator.

Valte said the caravan which would go around the “identified communities which include Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Zamboanga Sibugay, South Cotabato,  Davao Oriental, North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte and Maguindanao.”
She said once the caravan for the Sajahatra project had already started in July, the TransCom works would have to continue until the month of November.

Earlier, Iqbal had complained that the TransCom had no funds to perform their functions in holding meetings, that the Aquino administration had not acted on his letter asking for a P100-million budget.

Budget Secretary Butch Abad said that Iqbal had to submit a summary of list on how they would spend the government money.

Abad explained for Iqbal to understand that there must be government procedures which have to be followed in the disbursement of funds.

A few days before the election, Almendras declared that Malacañang had already approved an allocation of not P100 but P600 million instead for the expenses of the Sajahatra project.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/nation/item/14312-gov-t-milf-to-resume-talks-in-july-says-valte