No MOA with MILF even if SC approves it - Arroyo

MANILA, Philippines - President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo slammed the door anew on the prospect of signing a controversial memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain (MOA-AD) between government and the Moro Islamic Front (MILF), saying government will not sign it even if the Supreme Court upholds it. A Malacañang statement Friday said Arroyo made the remark Thursday night during her speech at the 107th anniversary of the Office of the Solicitor General. "In the light of the recent violent incidents committed by MILF lawless groups, the government will not sign the MOA," she said. But she added, "we are committed to doing everything possible to bring lasting peace to Mindanao and end 40 years of fighting that has killed more than 120,000 people." She reiterated that to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao, all peace talks will be refocused from dialogues with rebels to one with authentic dialogues with Muslim and Christian communities. "Our people, together with government, will be the primary force in defining the shape and direction of societal change, not the force of arms," she said. - GMANews.TV