MNLF dares Noy to bare letter to OIC

From the Daily Tribune (Aug 20): MNLF dares Noy to bare letter to OIC

President Aquino apparently has been misleading the Organization of Islamic Conference.

He has also misled the Filipino people and the OIC in claiming that the earlier agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which included a 75-25 percent sharing for the MNLF, has already fulfilled its obligations as stated in the government-MNLF peace accord.

The MNLF yesterday challenged Aquino to make public the letter forwarded to the OIC which it said is the root-cause of the declaration of independence by Chairman Nur Misuari from the government.

“We challenge the Philippine government to bring out its letter to the OIC — the key to this problem,” said lawyer Emmanuel Fontanilla, spokesman and legal counsel of the MNLF.

Fontanilla claimed that the Philippine government had informed the OIC, which facilitated the talks between the MNLF and the government which ended in the 1996 signing of a Final Peace Agreement, that the FPA has been fully implemented.

But Fontanilla said the government has yet to implement the 75-25 wealth sharing on minerals and taxes agreement with the MNLF.

“This was never implemented,” he said.

Fontanilla also cited the Aquino government’s inclusion of 13 provinces and nine cities covered by the FPA to the Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro (FAB) it signed with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) October 2012.

“There should be transparency. We should not fool the people,” said Fontanilla.
In spite of the declaration of independence, Fontanilla assured the MNLF will not resort to violence.

Fontanilla said that the MNLF has renounced the use of violence in achieving its goal toward self-determination for Mindanao.

“Armed struggle is obsolete. We have renounced the use of violence and we will submit to people’s process,” said Fontanilla.

“The Aquino government should not worry about the use of arms. We should just be in a contest to win the hearts and minds of the people of Mindanao. Ultimately, it’s the people who will decide,” added Fontanilla.

Earlier, MNLF Chairman Misuari declared independence from the Aquino government during a gathering of MNLF members and supporters in Talipao, Sulu.

Fontanilla said such declaration is only a manifestation of the MNLF’s backtracking to its original goal of an independent Mindanao.

Asked if the MNLF is willing to sit down with the Aquino government, Fontanilla replied “yes, we have been talking for 40 years now. We should not resort to violence.”

However, Fontanilla stressed that the MNLF is ready to defend itself if force by the government. “We will not use arms unless we are forced to do so,” he said.

“We should take this as a mature democracy and not with colonial mentality,” said Fontanilla.

According to Fontanilla, since the declaration was made by Misuari two weeks ago, the government has yet to reach out to the MNLF.

“There is none…we are willing to listen. If they (government) are confident that the people are with them, they don’t have to worry,” said Fontanilla.

The Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, for his part, on Monday said that they are verifying reports that some followers of MNLF’s Misuari have declared their independence in Cotabato.

“We will have that report checked as we are still to get information regarding the matter. We have word that they have done that in Jolo but not in Cotabato,” he added.

Gazmin also said that they are looking into reports that Vice Mayor Muslimin Sema is not supportive of this plan as the MNLF central committee were not consulted on this matter.

The DND chief said that this declaration of independence has no implication with Philippine security as defense and military officials have already inputted it in their planning.

Misuari has “established” a federated state that named him as the president following the declaration of independence last week.

In a statement, Murshi Ibrahim, Misuari’s chief of staff, said Misuari declared the independence of the Bangsamoro Republik in Daira, Barangay Lampaya, Autonomous Federated State of Lupah Sug, according to Habib Mujahab Hashim, chairman of the MNLF Islamic Command Council.

Misuari has also declared himself as the commander-in-chief of the Bangsamoro Armed Forces of what the erstwhile leader called as the 193rd member nation of the United Nations.

http://tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/18162-mnlf-dares-noy-to-bare-letter-to-oic