OPAPP holds dialogue on ARMM peace talks

From ABS-CBN (Dec 29): OPAPP holds dialogue on ARMM peace talks

More than 1,000 residents of Sulu attended the consultation dialogue launched by its provincial government and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).

The consultation was organized to help Armed Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) residents understand the current situation of the peace talks between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Philippine government.

The dialogue was attended by indigenous people, members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and various sectoral leaders.

OPAPP secretary Teresita Deles explained in the consultation that the MILF and the Philippine government are already on the last phase of their peace talks which is the normalization annex.

Fearing for their security, most of Sulu residents were concerned and asked about the MNLF-Misuari faction whose members frequent their province.

Last September, the Misuari faction occupied Zamboanga City while demanding for an independent state. The month-long siege resulted in hundreds of casualties.

In response, Deles said the government continues its tripartite review meeting with the MNLF. However, the recent scheduled meeting did not take place due to Nur Misuari’s absence.

According to Deles, the MNLF-Misuari faction will not prevent the Philippine government from undergoing peace negotiations with MILF in January where the last annex of the agreement will be discussed.

Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan II, on the other hand, fears for the possible result of the peace agreement, saying that the MNLF-Misuari faction will not approve of the deal which will require them to surrender their arms.

At the end of the dialogue, OPAPP said it hopes that ARMM residents will welcome the outcome of the peace agreement which seeks to establish a self-sustaining ministerial form of government.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/12/29/13/opapp-holds-dialogue-armm-peace-talks