Govt negotiator to MILF: Have commanders show unity

Following a confidential meeting in Japan last week, government peace negotiators asked the Moro Islamic Liberation Front on Monday to reciprocate the show of unity within its organization. In a radio interview, chief government negotiator Marvic Leonen said it is a challenge for the MILF to have its commanders, particularly those involved in rido (family feud), show unity as well. "Ngayon ang hinihiling namin sa MILF, siguro publicly, is to show na... ang base commanders nila will be under their discipline. Itong mga rido which I understand is a deep-seated family feud existing in the area... ay sana ma-transcend for the sake of the various communities they are supposed to be representing," Leonen said in an interview on dzBB radio. (Our request to the MILF is to at least publicly show unity, including that of their base commanders. Some of their base commanders are engaged in rido, a deep-seated family feud. We hope these commanders can transcend their differences for the sake of the various communities they are supposed to be representing.)

He also indicated the government is confident the MILF can place under its control the so-called "rogue" commanders, including Umbra Kato. Kato had led attacks in Mindanao following the Supreme Court's junking of a memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain (MOA-AD) in 2008. "Yan din ang challenge sa kanila (That would be a challenge for them)," Leonen said. Leonen pointed out the government had made an "extraordinary show of unity" when its officials met with MILF officials in Japan last August 4. He said the Cabinet members included Secretaries Voltaire Gazmin (defense), Cesar Garcia Jr. (national security), Florencio Abad (budget), and Cesar Purisima (finance). "Extraordinary unity ho yan (What the government showed last week was an extraordinary show of unity)," he said. Following the meeting in Tokyo, the government has expressed optimism that a peace pact with the MILF will be achieved by 2016. — RSJ, GMA News