Deles says yes to peace adviser role in new govt

A former Cabinet official in the current administration who had a falling out with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has accepted the invitation to be part of the official family of President-apparent Sen. Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III. Teresita “Ging" Deles will resume her role as presidential peace adviser after she accepted the offer from Aquino himself in a meeting in his Quezon City residence. Interviewed by reporters after the meeting, Deles said Aquino wanted to “hit the ground running" on the peace process once he assumes office at noon of June 30.

“What we would like is by the time the new administration comes in, naklaro na ang gagawin (everything is already clear). There’s a lot of homework, it’s going to be a very challenging arena," she said. Hyatt 10 Deles was among the 10 Cabinet and senior government officials — collectively known as the ‘Hyatt 10’ — who withdrew their support for President Arroyo in 2005 during the height of allegations that the administration rigged the results of the previous years national and local elections. They announced their withdrawal of support at a press briefing in Hyatt Hotel in Roxas Blvd. Deles was the second member of the Hyatt 10 to be named to the Aquino Cabinet after former Social Welfare secretary Corazon “Dinky" Soliman agreed to get her old post under Aquino. Deles declined to say if other Hyatt 10 members would be appointed to the Cabinet, even as she said she is ready to have her record scrutinized by her critics. “They have the right to their own opinion. My appointment by President Aquino I think must be based on track record, and everyone is free to look at my track record in terms of the peace process and oppose it if they like," she said. She also downplayed speculations her appointment is part of a debt of gratitude, in exchange for her support for Aquino’s presidential bid. She said she would not have accepted the post if she thought she was not fit for the job. Peace platform Deles said she had been working with Aquino on a peace platform during the campaign period, noting that peace and security was clearly identified as a major challenge for the next president. “Good governance is an important track in resolving the issue. Basic services, areas of conflict, development and reconstruction, particularly in Mindanao, and the security sector reform," she said. She said the peace process would be with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front-New People’s Army. While she did not elaborate, Deles said many aspects of the peace process were left in disarray during the Arroyo administration. She, however, said they intend to build on the gains that are still there. “I am confident the good governance and democracy that incoming President Aquino made his platform on is going to be a very important foundation for any peace process. I’m confident of that, it will make a big difference, (his) good governance (and) the democratic position," she said. She declined to give a time frame for the peace process, saying she will have to study many of its aspects first. She also declined to say if the government would continue talking with the MILF via Malaysia as a third party facilitator. Deles also said she may tap previous negotiators and “see what is appropriate." - KBK, GMANews.TV