MILF to govt: Stop gas explorations in Sulu, Cotabato

Secessionist Moro rebels on Monday asked the Philippine government not to push through with the planned onshore and offshore gas and oil explorations in their areas pending the resolution of the ancestral domain issue in the peace negotiations. “The Bangsamoro people will get nothing from the proceeds if this (ancestral domain issue) is not settled," said Mohagher Iqbal, chief negotiator of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), in a phone interview. “They should have stopped that. They should not pursue this, otherwise there will be problems…Definitely, we will raise the issue in the negotiations," added Iqbal. Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras had earlier said that they have presented to prospective investors three onshore and 12 offshore oil and gas explorations in Cotabato and Sulu provinces, as well as in Central Luzon, Palawan, and Mindoro. He said contracts could be awarded by early next year, and that the total investment potential for the projects is about $7.5 billion. Iqbal would not say what would be their action if the government pushes through with the project, which covers over 1.5 million hectares in Cotabato and Sulu. On the possibility that some misguided MILF rebels would attack these projects, Iqbal said: “That can be possible. This is an issue not only for those in the mainstream but also for those who they say are rogue. It's possible they will ride on that issue." Muhammad Ameen, head of the of the MILF Central Committee secretariat, described the explorations as a “very sensitive issue that hopefully the government will not dip its finger into until the MILF and government peace negotiators will conclude discussing this issue and agreed to a formula that is fair to the Bangsamoro people." MILF and government negotiators met in formal talks last June 27 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with no progress reached. He said the government panel failed to submit their counter proposal on the MILF’s draft peace agreement. — KBK, GMA News