Palace hopes govt, MILF panels resolve remaining issues in peace talks

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 15): Palace hopes govt, MILF panels resolve remaining issues in peace talks

Malacanang hopes the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panels could soon resolve the three remaining annexes in the peace talks for the eventual signing of a peace agreement with Muslim separatists.

The MILF, particularly its ground commanders, reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the recent pace of the talks as both sides miss the target date for the signing of a final peace pact.

But Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said both sides have been spending longer time in threshing out the three remaining annexes which negotiators considered delicate.

“Ang tatlo kasing annexes na natira, medyo mabigat ang mga nilalalaman, and of course, it is in everybody’s interest na upuan nang mabuti at suriin kung ano ang mga ilalaman ng mga annexes na ito,” Valte said in a radio interview Saturday over government-run dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

“Again, we’re hoping to see a resolution to this and we’re hoping for a way forward from the three annexes that are left.”

Asked about the government’s position on wealth-sharing, Valte decline to answer saying she’s leaving some details of the discussions to be announced the panels.

“Siguro mas mabuting hintayin natin ang magiging final resolution bago tayo magbigay ng komento dito. But, rest assured that the government panel is working with their counterpart on this,” she said.

The Philippine government and the MILF signed in October 15 last year the Framework Agreement for Mindanao peace aimed at ending decades-old separatist struggle of Muslims in the South.

Then government peace panel chairman Marvic Leonen and his MILF counterpart Mohagher Iqbal signed the historic roadmap to peace in a ceremony witnessed by President Benigno S. Aquino III, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Murad and members of the negotiating panels of both sides.

The President said at the time, that he hopes that signing would lead to positive changes while acknowledging that there are many things that have to be done to fully reap the fruits of the Framework Agreement.

Last year’s signing comes after 15 years of negotiations between the government and the MILF, and 40 years of conflict in Mindanao with a casualty figure of more than 150,000.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&sid=&nid=0&rid=534663