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TWO days
before oral arguments in the Supreme Court, the
Executive issued vague statements on its plans regarding
a controversial peace agreement with Moro rebels. The
government said on Wednesday it recognizes “flaws” in
the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain (MOA-AD)
adverted to by various groups opposed to the document,
and said it is prepared to subject the agreement to a
“thorough review” guided by the Constitution, but not a
renegotiation, Malacañang said on Wednesday.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita also
said in his weekly news briefing that peace talks with
the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will continue
even if President Arroyo is “angered and deeply
frustrated” by the inability of the MILF leadership to
control rogue commanders that have attacked civilian
communities in Mindanao.
Asked about the MOA-AD, Ermita referred
to the manifestation submitted by Solicitor-General
Agnes Devanadera to the Supreme Court on Tuesday which
said the MOA-AD “must undergo review,” considering the
situation in some areas in Mindanao, and said the
Executive will “undertake further negotiations that will
lead to the crafting of the final peace agreement within
the context of our Constitution.”
Ermita said, “I think it goes without
saying when they said there will be thorough review, and
that they will pursue further the negotiation, [this]
indicates that the flaws that may have been observed in
the existing MOA need to be reviewed in light of the
things that came out as a result of the petitions
submitted before the Supreme Court.”
He stressed that Malacañang had never
made any “categorical statement” that the MOA-AD will be
renegotiated because this would mean subjecting the
entire document to fresh negotiations.
He added that in reviewing the MOA-AD,
“the important thing is we must consider the reactions
we got from the general public,” referring to those who
fear that the agreement would be unconstitutional.
Ermita said that in his view, the “word
dynamics” in the MOA-AD may have to be further
negotiated to make it more “acceptable” to the general
public and help move the peace process forward.
“In the MOA, as much as possible, they
avoided using terms that were not agreeable so much
before to the other panel, such as reference to the
Constitution and enabling laws,” Ermita said.
Ermita also said the Malaysian
facilitators of the GRP-MILF talks and chief peace
adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. “are in agreement that
there’s a need for the two panels to again sit down to
come to a common terms of reference in light of what’s
happening based on the case in the Supreme Court.”
“They [Malaysians] understand what is
happening in the country. Especially, it worsened
because of the fighting on the ground, which some say is
a result of the legal action. Be that as it may, the
Malaysian authorities understand and they are in
agreement that the two panels have to sit down again,”
said Ermita.
Esperon was in Kuala Lumpur to meet with
Malaysian officials on the peace process and reported to
the President and the National Security Cluster on
Tuesday night.
Ermita also said that the President
“detests the MILF leadership’s lack of control” over
Commanders Umbra Kato and Bravo and “regrets that the
MILF’s failure to restrain these field commanders
reflects the organization’s lack of sincerity to push
for a successful conclusion of the peace process.”
“In the past, the Philippine government
tolerated and let pass minor skirmishes between its
forces and the MILF on the latter’s excuse that these
were perpetrated by rogue elements in their fold. This
excuse has been abused by too long. The President now
draws the line,” he said.
He said the President’s sentiments
toward the MILF leadership should serve as “a strong
reminder to them that for us to be able to come up with
a much stronger approach to the peace process, they must
contain them and exercise control over their
subordinates.”
Ermita said government troops will
pursue “unrelenting” operations against the alleged
rogue MILF commanders, and “to attain these objectives,
every arsenal at the disposal of the Armed Forces and
National Police will be utilized without letup. The
President only sees a suspension of these operations if
and only when MILF Commanders Umbra Kato and Bravo as
well as other commanders with them are neutralized, and
their hostages are released.” --M. Gonzalez |
