Manila - An offer by Brunei Darrusalam to broker the stalled peace talks in Mindanao was rejected by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Mohagher Iqbal, MILF chief negotiator, maintained that Malaysia should still head the International Monitoring Team (IMT), whose mandate will expire on Aug. 31.
He said this position is based on the terms of reference signed by the government and MILF which bestowed on Malaysia the IMT leadership role, while other countries and groups shall be invited only as participants.
The terms of reference was signed on Sept. 8, 2004 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
"We appreciate [Brunei`s] offer. We salute them for all their brotherly concerns and due regards to peace and justice in our lands," Mr. Iqbal told BusinessWorld in a telephone interview.
On June 21, National Development Party of Brunei President Yasim Affandy made the offer to head the negotiating team in his keynote address at the official opening of the party`s third annual general congress.
"I can confidently say that Brunei and its people hope to see permanent peace prevail in the southern Philippines. As a close neighbor that shares 600 long years of history, I believe it is also our responsibility to ensure progress in the peace talks between MILF and the government of the Republic of the Philippines," Mr. Iqbal quoted Mr. Affandy as saying.
Mr. Iqbal said Mr. Affandy considered the Malaysian contingency`s pullout in the IMT as an opportunity for Brunei to show its capability to take over the leadership role.
He said changing the terms of reference to accommodate Brunei`s offer is remote since the government panel has yet to finalize plans to resume the talks.
The government earlier asked Libya to head the IMT shortly after the Malaysian government decided in May to withdraw its troops. Brunei, Libya, Japan and Malaysia are part of the IMT.
Meanwhile, Mr. Iqbal said the government has submitted to the Malaysian facilitator on Tuesday its counterproposal to the MILF`s points in the governance aspect of the draft ancestral domain agreement.
BusinessWorld tried to get in touch with government chief negotiator Rodolfo C. Garcia but he was unavailable for comment.
The signing of the ancestral domain will pave way for the creation of an Islamic state.
Ceasefire violation
In a related development, MILF civil military officer Eid Kabalu accused the military of violating the ceasefire in Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat by bringing in troops without proper coordination.
"This is a violation of the ceasefire [agreement] and we are filing a letter of inquiry and protest with the Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities," he told BusinessWorld in a telephone interview.
Mr. Kabalu said the troops were transported by navy vessels on Tuesday night and docked at Milbuk village, Maitum town in Sarangani province.
A company of the 38th Infantry Battalion with two tanks and six 105-millimeter howitzers were also deployed in Palimbang town, Sultan Kudarat province.
Military troop and asset deployment is also going on in Lebak town, also in Sultan Kudarat, the site of a powerful blast on June 24 that hit and severely damaged a power barge causing total blackout in the town, Mr. Kabalu said.
Armed Forces chief Gen. Alexander B. Yano said even if they respect the primacy of the peace process, the military remains vigilant and is prepared for a fire fight.
"I have directed the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) to be vigilant and take appropriate actions while upholding the primacy of the peace process to protect the people against those who disrupt peace," he told reporters in a forum organized by the Manila Overseas Press Club at the Hotel InterContinental in Makati City on Tuesday evening.
He reiterated calls for the MILF leadership to "show their control over some recalcitrant and wayward elements." — Jhoanna Frances S. Valdez and Darwin T. Wee, BusinessWorld
Source: http://www.gmanews.tv (July 10, 2008)
