Peace talks with MILF likely to resume - exec

MANILA, Philippines - The stalled peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is likely to resume before Christmas if the GRP panel is officially completed on or before December 15, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon Jr said Monday. A local radio report quoted Esperon as saying they would submit on Tuesday’ security cluster meeting the names of those qualified to become members of the peace panel. They would be led by the newly-installed peace panel head, Foreign Affairs undersecretary Rafael Seguis. He was appointed by President Arroyo last December 1. Esperon said the eight nominees came from various sectors of the society. He said this GRP panel is different from the panel of advisers that the government would also form. The panel of advisers would be composed of a senator, congressman and representatives from the academe, legal profession and military, among others. Esperon said they hope to complete the panel on or before Dec. 15 since the President wants the talks to resume before the year ends. Esperon added that they would also discuss in their meeting the composition of the new monitoring team, as he noted that Malaysia would remain as facilitator in the talks. Negotiations between the government and the MILF have been stalled since August after the Supreme Court ruled against the signing of the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain. The SC later declared the pact unconstitutional. Government troops are currently pursuing several MILF leaders who were responsible for several attacks on civilian communities in Central Mindanao last August. The MILF said the attacks were an expression of disappointment by some of its members to the aborted signing of the homeland deal. - Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV