Gov’t panel prepares for possible resumption of peace talks with rebels

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine government is gearing up for the possible resumption of stalled peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF). GMA’s Flash Report on Saturday quoted presidential peace adviser Avelino Razon Jr. as saying the government panel has already informed the rebel groups of the proposed resumption of negotiations and are just waiting for their answer. Razon said that the panel is also willing to open talks regarding the controversial Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) between the Philippine government and the MILF. But he said that the new contents of the agreement should be in accordance with the ruling of the Supreme Court in October 2008 that the previous pact was unconstitutional. The MILF has previously demanded for “closure" over the scrapped MOA-AD before resuming peace talks with the government. MILF deputy spokesman Khaled Musa said unresolved questions on the botched deal may lead to a repeat of the fighting that followed the scrapping of the MOA-AD by the Supreme Court. Musa noted that the MILF has not disbanded its peace panel and remain ready to resume the stalled peace talks once questions on the MOA-AD are answered. - Kimberly Jane T. Tan, GMANews.TV