MILF, local leaders welcome Pinol's appointment as incoming agriculture secretary

From the Philippine News Agency (May 20): MILF, local leaders welcome Pinol's appointment as incoming agriculture secretary

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Friday lauded the appointment of former North Cotabato Gov. Manny Pinol as agriculture secretary.

MILF peace panel chair Mohaqher Iqbal said as a farmer and as Mindanaon, he deserved the support of all Mindanaons.

"This is a good development because he is from Mindanao and a true farmer," Iqbal told reporters.

The MILF has distanced itself from Pinol when he was the governor of North Cotabato in 2008 for spearheading the campaign against the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD).

Because of his campaign, the deal was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

"His anti-MOA-AD stance is a thing of the past," Iqbal said.

Meanwhile, Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Toto Mangudadatu and North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Mendoza lauded presumptive Duterte for naming Pinol as agriculture chief.

"Pinol knows the needs of Moro farmers, I hope he can consider that because the Moro farmers really need government assistance," Mangudadatu said.

Mendoza, Pinol's political archrival, posted a streamer at the entrance of provincial capitol grounds in Amas, Kidapawan City congratulating her political nemesis.

"I am a proud Cotabatenia with Pinol's apppointment," Mendoza also said in her FB page.

Pinol welcomed all his well wishers, especially the farmers who he vowed to serve in compliance of Duterte's marching orders for him to ensure food sufficiency.

"I am only human, let's all help to help the agriculture sector," Pinol said.

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