GPH-MILF peace panels meeting in Davao full of optimism

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 2): GPH-MILF peace panels meeting in Davao full of optimism

Optimism envelopes the third round of meetings between government and Moro rebel peace negotiators aimed at establishing a “meeting of the minds” in Davao City, panel leaders said.

”While there are disagreements, the meeting is important to establish meeting of the minds on issues that we deemed necessary to clarify,” chief government negotiator Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said in an interview by DXMS Radyo Bida here Saturday. The ongoing meeting started Friday.

Both sides are trying to fix contentious issues that may put the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in jeopardy once it reaches the scrutiny of Philippine Congress.

”We ought to have a mutually accepted version of the draft BBL,” Ferrer said, adding that she remained hopeful the week-long review of the draft will produce good results.

The draft, crafted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) was submitted to Malacanang early May for review by the Palace legal team.

The MILF claimed after two months of review, the government came up with a diluted version.

Mohaqher Iqbal, chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panel, said the diluted version alarms the MILF.

But Ferrer denied the draft was diluted, much less overhauled as some sectors have been claiming.

Ferrer said the draft BBL is still within the roadmap of peace by the Aquino administration.

Iqbal appealed to the stakeholders in Mindanao to remain patience as both panels are very much into the peace process.

”We are moving forward but I now the task ahead is very tough,” he said in the same radio interview.

Both Ferrer and Iqbal separately said that the Davao meeting will be the last before both panels bring the agreed draft version to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to formalize and finalize the decision. Malaysia is serving as the third party facilitator.

The peace process with the MILF is President Aquino’s greatest feat in Mindanao his three predecessors failed to achieve. It aimed primarily to bring peace in southern Philippines, bring displaced families back home and bring government services to the Bangsamoro.

Most importantly the process aims to give the Bangsamoro people the right to self-determination.

Ferrer said both the GPH and the MILF are committed to continue the work until the draft BBL is finished.

She expressed apologies to Congress for the delay saying the government is making sure the draft will have smooth journey into the hands of the legislators until it become a law.

In a statement, Ferrer assured to come up with a draft acceptable to all.

“I guarantee that we will have a good draft BBL and we commit to work with Congress in any way the legislators see fit,” Ferrer said.

"We call on the public to keep the faith and to join our collective effort for peace and development in Mindanao," she said.

Once the draft law hurdles Congress, it will be subjected to plebiscite in areas to determine the political composition of the new political entity that will replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=668849