Malacañang to hold consultations on MOA regardless of SC decision
08/24/2008 | 02:15 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Regardless of how the Supreme Court rules on it, Malacañang will start soon consultations on its memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
A Palace statement quoted Press Secretary and presidential spokesman Jesus Dureza as saying the consultations will involve the Bishop-Ulama conference to get the pulse of those affected.
Dureza reiterated the government would no longer sign the MOA-AD in its present form, adding everything now depends on the results of the consultations.
Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo asked the MILF leadership Friday night to immediately surrender the MILF members who attacked civilians in Mindanao in past weeks.
"The peace process must be anchored on justice. Hence, the MILF must turn in Commanders Umbra Kato, Bravo and Pangalian to face the bar of justice," she said.
She said that the national government never deviated from its peace negotiations with the MILF despite her marching order to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to pursue the MILF men involved in the attacks.
"There is no all-out war, only all-out peace in Mindanao," she said.
"The campaign we are waging is intended to remove the obstacles to peace," she added.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita earlier said the peace process would continue even as government troops hunt down the two renegade MILF commanders.
"We are not putting the peace talks in the backburner. The peace process moves on," he said. - GMANews.TV
A Palace statement quoted Press Secretary and presidential spokesman Jesus Dureza as saying the consultations will involve the Bishop-Ulama conference to get the pulse of those affected.
Dureza reiterated the government would no longer sign the MOA-AD in its present form, adding everything now depends on the results of the consultations.
Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo asked the MILF leadership Friday night to immediately surrender the MILF members who attacked civilians in Mindanao in past weeks.
"The peace process must be anchored on justice. Hence, the MILF must turn in Commanders Umbra Kato, Bravo and Pangalian to face the bar of justice," she said.
She said that the national government never deviated from its peace negotiations with the MILF despite her marching order to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to pursue the MILF men involved in the attacks.
"There is no all-out war, only all-out peace in Mindanao," she said.
"The campaign we are waging is intended to remove the obstacles to peace," she added.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita earlier said the peace process would continue even as government troops hunt down the two renegade MILF commanders.
"We are not putting the peace talks in the backburner. The peace process moves on," he said. - GMANews.TV
