DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / August 21, 2008) – Philippine House Speaker Prospero Nograles rejected proposals to dismember the country as the issue on the controversial Muslim ancestral domain stalled the government’s peace deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Security forces were pursuing hundreds of MILF rebels led by Ameril Kato and Abdurahman Macapaar, blamed by authorities for the deadly attacks in Mindanao that left at least three dozen people dead.
The MILF, which is currently negotiating peace with Manila, said the rebels were disgruntled over the failure of the peace negotiators to formally sign the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain that would eventually grant some 4 million Muslims a separate homeland in Mindanao.
The Supreme Court temporarily stopped the August 5 signing of the accord after politicians and lawmakers opposed to the deal filed a petition to force Manila to make public the provisions of the agreement. Once the deal is signed, a plebiscite would follow in areas covered by the ancestral domain, but there is a need to amend the Constitution to allow referendum.
“Peace? Yes! But not at the expense of our constitutional processes and territorial sovereignty,” Nograles said.
President Gloria Arroyo has ordered security forces to capture Kato and Macapaar’s groups.
Nograles said he is supporting Arroyo’s order to the military and police to pursue the perpetrators of violence and terrorism in Mindanao. “Why escalate violence and terrorism if they (MILF) want peace? Is it still logical and right for the government to continue the peace negotiation with the MILF when its acknowledged leadership could not guarantee complete loyalty of its followers?,” he asked.
At the same time, the House leader, who hails from Davao City, lauded Arroyo’s call for an expanded meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) and the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) to find a solution on the latest outbreak of armed conflict in Mindanao.
“Decisions must be made after consultations and that’s the correct move made by our president,” Nograles said, noting that “even as the President has in her command and grasp all the necessary information relative to the Mindanao crisis, the collective wisdom resulting from such consultations is always crucial.
Nograles said the police and the military must remain steadfast to their respective mandates to protect national interest and promote the rule of law with the President as their Commander-in-Chief.
“The military and police must bring to justice those responsible for the violence and terror in several parts of Mindanao and protect civilians and every inch of Philippine sovereignty. That’s their sworn duty,” Nograles said. (Romy Bwaga)
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