Palace part of MOA-AD deal, says former govt negotiator
01/27/2009 | 03:51 AM
MANILA, Philippines - A former member of the government peace panel in talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front has revealed that decisions made by the negotiators passed the scrutiny of Malacañang.
"Malacañang was always part of the process. We did not commit anything na di dumaan sa Malacañang," Prof. Rudy Rodil, a former member of the government peace panel was quoted by the MILF website luwaran.com.
Rodil, who helped in the drafting of the controversial memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain (MOA-AD), spoke in a forum sponsored by the Center for Community Journalism and Development in Davao City.
Rodil said the very nature of the peace negotiation with the MILF was to find solution to the "historical injustice" against the Bangsamoro in Mindanao.
"MOA-AD is a minority problem that can't be solved by a majority vote. Kaya pag idadaan namin to sa plebiscite ay t'yak talo ito. Kaya pag gawing transparent ang negotiation it's like still being subjected to the opinion of the majority," he said.
Rodil said said that if the government had made the negotiation public from day one, the negotiators would have not reached any agreement.
He clarified that contrary to popular claims, Malacañang was part of the process of the controversial ancestral domain agenda.
Rodil likened the controversy generated by the MOA-AD to that of the contentious creation of the Southern Philippines Development Authority by the administration of then president Fidel Ramos.
"But president Ramos stood by the creation of SPDA kahit tinapunan pa sya ng kamatis noon. Kung ganun lang sana ang panindigan ng administrasyon ay iba siguro ang naging resulta," Rodil said.
He said the MOA-AD would have been the solution to the hostilities in Mindanao.
Rodil defended the panel against claims that they had rushed things up for the MOA-AD.
"Eleven years of talk with six panels, I don't think we rushed things up. We spent 14 months just talking on the territory, three months on the issue on freedom," he said. - GMANews.TV
"Malacañang was always part of the process. We did not commit anything na di dumaan sa Malacañang," Prof. Rudy Rodil, a former member of the government peace panel was quoted by the MILF website luwaran.com.
Rodil, who helped in the drafting of the controversial memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain (MOA-AD), spoke in a forum sponsored by the Center for Community Journalism and Development in Davao City.
Rodil said the very nature of the peace negotiation with the MILF was to find solution to the "historical injustice" against the Bangsamoro in Mindanao.
"MOA-AD is a minority problem that can't be solved by a majority vote. Kaya pag idadaan namin to sa plebiscite ay t'yak talo ito. Kaya pag gawing transparent ang negotiation it's like still being subjected to the opinion of the majority," he said.
Rodil said said that if the government had made the negotiation public from day one, the negotiators would have not reached any agreement.
He clarified that contrary to popular claims, Malacañang was part of the process of the controversial ancestral domain agenda.
Rodil likened the controversy generated by the MOA-AD to that of the contentious creation of the Southern Philippines Development Authority by the administration of then president Fidel Ramos.
"But president Ramos stood by the creation of SPDA kahit tinapunan pa sya ng kamatis noon. Kung ganun lang sana ang panindigan ng administrasyon ay iba siguro ang naging resulta," Rodil said.
He said the MOA-AD would have been the solution to the hostilities in Mindanao.
Rodil defended the panel against claims that they had rushed things up for the MOA-AD.
"Eleven years of talk with six panels, I don't think we rushed things up. We spent 14 months just talking on the territory, three months on the issue on freedom," he said. - GMANews.TV
