MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghadazali Jaafar. FILE PHOTO
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front has asked chief government peace negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer to clarify what she meant by asking the erstwhile rebel organization to expel members with links to the Abu Sayyaf.
Ferrer on Monday released a press statement asking the MILF to help secure the freedom of kidnap victims, including those held by the Abu Sayyaf.
In the same statement, Ferrer alluded to an April 11 military operation against the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan in which four MILF members were reported among the nine gunmen killed, and asked the MILF to “expel from their ranks those who reject peace and are directly or indirectly abetting the hostage-taking and preventing development to set in.”
“The peace process should not be used to shield criminals from their accountability for their crimes against innocent civilians,” she added.
Reacting to this, Ghadzali Jaafar, MILF vice chairman for political affairs, said as chair of the government peace panel, Ferrer “is not supposed to” issue such a statement “sapagkat (because) she will be misunderstood.”
“I think mas makakabuti na i-verify natin kung anong ibig sabihin niya sa mga statement na ‘yun (it would be better if we verify what she meant with such statements),” Jaafar said.
He also wondered if Ferrer was “speaking in behalf of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” which has regularly accused the MILF of an alliance with the Abu Sayyaf and other kidnap-for-ransom groups, charges he denied.
“Definitely, wala kaming (we have no) alliance with the Abu Sayyaf. Why should we enter into an alliance with the Abu Sayyaf at this point in time when we have signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro last march 27?” he asked.
When asked about the possibility that some MILF may, indeed, have links to the Abu Sayyaf, he replied: “I don’t have that information.”
“You know we cannot speculate on this issue which is very, very sensitive to the peace process,” he added.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/85188/milf-seeks-explanation-of-ferrers-call-to-expel-members-with-links-to-abu-sayyaf
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