MILF may announce new peace panel Monday

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) hinted Saturday it may announce its new peace panel as early as Monday, three days after Eid’l Fitr. MILF secretariat chairman Muhammad Ameen said the announcement will be up to the MILF Central Committee. “We will just wait," he said in an article on the MILF website, but added the announcement "can be made probably three days after the celebration of Eid’l Fit’r." Muslims celebrated on Friday the Eid'l Fitr, marked by joyous activities that cap Ramadan's month-long prayerful fasting and sacrifices. Government negotiators led by Marvic Leonen include Senen Bacani, Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, Ramon Piang, and Dr. Hamid Barra. Except for Bacani, the MILF said the four government negotiators are "personally known" to it. "Both Leonen and Ferrer, together with heads of various state universities and colleges, have come to Darapanan sometime last year," it said. In July, the MILF deactivated its peace panel after its counterpart in the government was disbanded following the exit from power of the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Arroyo administration. The government peace panel is co-terminus with the appointing authority. Prerequisites The MILF Central Committee said it will follow three prerequisites in choosing its negotiators:

• Unwavering commitment to the Moro cause;
• Knowledge of the ideological, political, and organizational line of the MILF; and
• Capability to engage in serious and in-depth discussion of issues.

Also, experience is a very important consideration in the selection of the members of the new MILF peace panel. The MILF also stressed the need for moral incorruptibility of those composing the body. It said every member is faced with all sorts of trials and intrigues that anyone of low moral stuff will not be able to withstand. — LBG, GMANews.TV