Wednesday, October 26, 2011

MILF says it received funding from Philippine government


COTABATO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 27, 2011) – The Philippines’ largest Muslim rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front confirmed Wednesday that it received P5 million from President Benigno Aquino as part of government support to its leadership program.

The MILF, which is currently negotiating peace with Manila, said the funding would be used for capacity-building programs for emerging Muslim leaders and professional under the auspices of the Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute.

Ghazali Jaafar, the Front’s deputy leader, said the money was handed to the MILF peace panel during a meeting in Malaysia. He said the funding was agreed upon during the time of President Gloria Arroyo and was just implemented by the Aquino government.

It was part of Manila’s commitment to the Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute and approved by the government and MILF peace panels in April 2010. The money was handed to the MILF peace panel by its government counterpart only on August this year during a meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

“What’s important here is to have an institution and training for Bangsamoro professionals,” Jaafar said.

Jaafar also doused fears by critics of the MILF that the money could be used to purchase weapons for rebels, saying, there is proper accounting procedures on how the government funding would be spent for programs of the Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute.

Besides the Philippines, the MILF said Japan is also supporting the Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute and funded the construction of building in the town of Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao province under its Grant Assistance for Human Security Grassroots Project.

Abigail Valte, President Aquino’s deputy spokesperson, said: “The money was given in good faith to the MILF peace panel and we expect them to use this for social projects.”

Jun Mantawil, of the MILF peace panel, accused critics of the peace talks as behind media reports that the rebel group may use the money to purchase weapons.

“This malicious disinformation campaign is being done by those who want to sabotage the ongoing peace process and negotiations between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front,” he said, adding the amount is intact and cannot be disbursed unless the accounting procedures are well established.

He also quoted Marvic Leonen, the chief government peace negotiator, as saying - when he handed the money to the MILF peace panel - “the BLMI is envisioned to be a center of excellence and repository of knowledge in the discipline of human resource development that produces individuals of impeccable character, equipped with exemplary leadership and managerial qualities for the transformation of the Bangsamoro people.”

“It is government’s commitment to help in the development of future Bangsamoro leaders and managers who will utilize their political and socio-economic knowledge and skills to improve the situation in the Bangsamoro homeland.”

The MILF said it committed to the peace talks with the Aquino government despite a series of dead clashes in Basilan and Zamboanga Sibugay provinces recently.

“We are convinced that the ongoing peace talks between the government and MILF since 1997 is the most civilize and democratic and best solution to resolve this politically-rooted problem. Along this line, the MILF continues to ask for supports from civil society organizations and the international community (for the success of) this peace process,” Jaafar said. (Mindanao Examiner)

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