Bishops tell gov't, MILF: Find other means to achieve peace in Mindanao
10/15/2008 | 08:36 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Now that the Supreme Court had junked a domain pact between the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Mindanao-based bishops urged both sides to move on and find other means to achieve peace in the region.
In an article posted on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website, Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo made the call as he expressed satisfaction with the High Court's ruling that deemed the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain (MOA-AD) unconstitutional.
"This is not the end of everything," Bagaforo said, adding that both the Philippine government and the MILF must now explore other venues to pursue peace to solve the problem in Mindanao.
Still, the bishop said many of those questioning the legality of the MOA-AD would be "happy the Supreme Court was able to look at it the way we looked at it from the very beginning."
For his part, Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad similarly welcomed the Supreme Court decision, and described the ruling as "a decision of equality for all Filipinos as it also observed the rule of law recognizing the fact Mindanao is part of the Philippines."
But Jumoad similarly called on both the government and the MILF to look for other ways to achieve peace in Mindanao now that the Supreme Court has already decided on the case. - GMANews.TV
In an article posted on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website, Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo made the call as he expressed satisfaction with the High Court's ruling that deemed the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain (MOA-AD) unconstitutional.
"This is not the end of everything," Bagaforo said, adding that both the Philippine government and the MILF must now explore other venues to pursue peace to solve the problem in Mindanao.
Still, the bishop said many of those questioning the legality of the MOA-AD would be "happy the Supreme Court was able to look at it the way we looked at it from the very beginning."
For his part, Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad similarly welcomed the Supreme Court decision, and described the ruling as "a decision of equality for all Filipinos as it also observed the rule of law recognizing the fact Mindanao is part of the Philippines."
But Jumoad similarly called on both the government and the MILF to look for other ways to achieve peace in Mindanao now that the Supreme Court has already decided on the case. - GMANews.TV
