CAGAYAN DE ORO City, Jan. 16, 2011—A grassroots’ organization working for peace in Mindanao hailed as a “breakthrough” the positive outcome of January 13’s informal talks in Malaysia between the chairpersons of the peace panels of the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
“It’s a breakthrough in so far as the facilitation issue is concerned,” said lawyer Mary Ann Arnado, secretary-general of the non-government organization Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC).
Arnado said that the breakthrough in the negotiations in Malaysia was a step forward towards the realization of the Aquino administration’s commitment to achieve a negotiated political settlement to the Moro issue.
“Our hope lies on the Aquino administration’s commitment to deliver a negotiated political settlement with the MILF,” she said.
Arnado, however, said that the public has a lot to do to realize this dream of peace in Mindanao and one of that is to “give the necessary support to the peace panels.”
GRP peace panel chair, lawyer Marvic Leonen, and MILF peace panel chair Mohaqher Iqbal met in Malaysia on Thursday to iron out kinks in the talks, especially on the issue of facilitation, among other concerns.
Leonen was joined by Miriam Coronel Ferrer and Iona Jalijali, GRP panel member and GRP secretariat here respectively. Iqbal, on the other hand, was with senior MILF peace panel member Michael Mastura and head of secretariat Jun Mantawil.
With the peace negotiations back on track, GRP chief peace negotiator Leonen is optimistic that talks will move forward constructively.” (Bong D. Fabe)
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