Gov’t hoping for progress in next round of talks with MILF

Despite its failure to forge a new peace agreement with secessionists during talks in Kuala Lumpur earlier this week, Philippine government negotiators remain hopeful they can get the job done in February. Chief government negotiator Rafael Seguis said they hope to study each other’s draft peace agreements closely when they return to Kuala Lumpur on February 18 to 19. “Nagkasundo kami magme-meet kami sa February 18 at 19, para pag-aralan nila ang draft. Babalik kami sa Kuala Lumpur sa February 18 at 19 para pag-usapan yan (We agreed to meet in the coming February 18 and 19 in Kuala Lumpur to study each other’s draft agreements)," Seguis said in an interview on dzRH radio Saturday. He stressed the failure to reach an agreement during their last meeting in Malaysia does not mean the peace process is over. “Di totoo na tapos na, di pa kami nag-usap. Di inaasahan na magkatugma ang draft ng dalawa. Iba ang demand nila, iba ang aming pag-iisip kung ano ang content ng peace agreement (The peace process is not over yet. We just haven’t had the chance to talk. They have different demands, we have different ideas on how to forge a peace pact)," he said. Both sides did not meet face-to-face after exchanging draft agreements, after the MILF panel backed out on the last day of the negotiations. Instead, the MILF panel met with Malaysian facilitator Datuk Othman bin Abd Razak and members of the International Contact Group to explain its position. The MILF claimed the government had offered nothing new by way of a peace agreement. But Seguis defended the government panel’s refusal to change its position, saying they will act within the 1987 Constitution, referring to the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain (MOA-AD) that the Supreme Court junked in 2008. “Naturally we cannot offer anything new. We work within the framework of the Constitution and the Supreme Court’s ruling on the MOA-AD). We cannot violate the Constitution just to give them what they want on ancestral domain," he said. He added that while the government has not rejected outright the MILF’s demand for its own territory, it has to study the MILF position to make sure it does not violate the Constitution. “It is not within our powers to give them what they want just like that. There may be constitutional amendments needed. While we do not reject the MILF’s demand, we have to study it and make sure it is within our Constitution and laws," he said. - LBG, GMANews.TV