No MILF gun factory in Maguindanao: Ferrer

From ABS-CBN (Feb 19): No MILF gun factory in Maguindanao: Ferrer

[Video report]

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front does not have a weapons factory in General Salipada Pendatun, Maguindanao, the chairwoman of the government peace panel said Thursday.

Speaking to ANC, Prof. Miriam Coronel Ferrer said the main gun factory of the MILF in Camp Abubakar was already demolished during the time of President Estrada.

She said peace negotiators conducted an investigation after Senator Alan Peter Cayetano claimed the MILF has a weapons factory in barangay (sitio) Katol, General Salipada Pendatun, Maguindanao.

"It's not there. We know, we have checked the area. We did our own checking and what we found out is the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters has its own [improvised explosive device] factory in the area," she said.

The chief peace negotiator said the government is not negotiating with the BIFF simply because the latter group does not want peace. Even the MILF failed to convince the BIFF leadership to stay with the group and forge a lasting peace deal with the government.

"Right now, they do not want to negotiate with us. They are doing all these things, sniping our military forces. The conditions are not there to negotiate with them and the conditions actually require that we incapacitate them," she said.

"It takes two to tango."

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/video/nation/regions/02/19/15/no-milf-gun-factory-maguindanao-ferrer