MNLF: No plans to renegotiate with gov’t

From GMA News (Jan 28): MNLF: No plans to renegotiate with gov’t

The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) said it no longer intends to renegotiate the 1996 final peace agreement with the government and will just appeal to the United Nations (UN) for the independence of Mindanao.

"No renegotiation, no talks or anything with government," MNLF spokesperson Absalom Cerveza said at a press conference with members of local media in Davao City, according to a Philippine Star report on Monday.

The statement came after the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Kuala Lumpur last Saturday.

Cerveza said the agreement between the MILF and the government abrogates the 1996 FPA signed in Jakarta. He said the group plans to question the legality of the framework agreement before the Supreme Court.

In a post on its Facebook account Tuesday, the MNLF denounced the MILF leadership for entering into an agreement with the government without consulting its members especially the commanders on the ground.

"MILF leaders sold out the lives of its warriors in the grounds to the GPH...Ngayong araw, in celebration of the signing of MILF-GPH deal, binobomba na ang mga MILF fighters sa grounds ang Maguindanao at Liguasan marsh," it said.

The MNLF also said it is open to accept MILF members who are not satisfied with the framework agreement. "We, MNLF, shall open our arms for the MILFs to return back to us, and we shall provide adequate sanctuary to the MILFs na tinraydor at binenta ng kanilang mga negotiators," the group's statement said.

MNLF: MILF to launch new offensives

In another statement posted on its Facebook account Monday, the MNLF warned of more offensives by the MILF ground commanders.

"The war department of the MILF will launch a new round of armed conflicts. Their objective is to prove that the MILF negotiators have no popular support and control in the grounds. We don't have any information as to what event triggered this, how they will do it, where, or when it will spark. GENERAL ORDERS to ALL MNLF: Do not participate. Wherever there is armed conflict, your orders are to go away from that area, and be safe," the Facebook post said.

The military earlier said the clashes in Maguindanao and North Cotabato between the military and members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a rebel group that broke off from the MILF, has nothing to do with the signing of the MILF-GPH peace agreement.

“Unang una, I would like to correct the misimpression that the recently signed Normalization Annex is connected with the operation. The law enforcement operation we launched together with the police of Maguindanao yesterday ay kadugtong ng mga ginawa naming operations sa mga nakaraang buwan at taon,” Col. Dickson Hermoso, spokesperson of the Armed Forces 6th infantry division said in an interview with GMA News TV's "News To Go". He said their offensive operation was aimed at serving arrest warrants against some BIFF members.

The clash left 17 BIFF rebels dead.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/345920/news/nation/mnlf-no-plans-to-renegotiate-with-gov-t