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Puno to MILF: Are we talking to the right guys?


MANILA, Philippines - Following the attacks by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on some Mindanao provinces, the government hinted Monday night it is having second thoughts about the ongoing peace talks with the rebel group. Interior secretary Ronaldo Puno, emerging from a meeting of the National Security Council, said the MILF has shown bad faith in their peace efforts in past weeks. "Are we talking to the correct people? We have been bending over backwards to show good faith (in the peace negotiations with the MILF) but these past weeks, (the MILF has shown) the exact opposite," Puno said in a statement posted on the Office of the Press Secretary website Monday night. He admitted the government is now "entertaining doubts" and feels that "there has been a breach in the peace/ceasefire agreement." For his part, defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. reminded the MILF it is incumbent on them "not to coddle members who have been sowing terror in Mindanao." Puno said the MILF's attacks in Lanao del Norte are an "affront to the national government." He said the treacherous MILF attacks show an "absence of good faith" on the part of the MILF. But he said government remains "hopeful" that there are still enough elements in the MILF who are interested in a peaceful settlement of the Mindanao conflict. Still, he admitted the events that took place in Mindanao in the past 24 hours were "not very encouraging." For their part, press secretary Jesus Dureza and Teodoro said the recent attacks by MILF members led by Umbra Kato in North Cotabato last week, and the men of a Commander Bravo in Lanao del Norte and Saranggani had "absolutely no justification." "Those attacks were pure criminal acts without any justification," Dureza and Teodoro said. Teodoro added it was "obvious that terrorism was involved" in the MILF s simultaneous attacks in Lanao del Norte and Saranggani province this morning. But he assured there are enough government forces on the ground to prevent a repeat of Monday's MILF rampage. The AFP is ready to augment forces in Mindanao if needed, he said. "When they (MILF) attacked, they took themselves out of the ambit of the ceasefire agreement," Dureza added. - GMANews.TV
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