Government-milf talks gaining ground

ZAMBOANGA CITY: The Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have ended three days of peace talks in Malaysia, with both sides agreeing to extend a joint anticriminality campaign in areas where guerrillas are actively operating.

In a joint statement released by the government on Wednesday night, both sides said that they had renewed the mandate of the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group for another year.

The government and the MILF forged an agreement in 2004 that paved the way for the Muslim rebel forces, through the joint action group, to help authorities hunt down terrorists and criminals in areas where the Muslim insurgents operate.

The joint action group is composed of eight members—four from the government side and four from the MILF. The group has five teams deployed in the provinces of Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Bukidnon, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley, and all its cities.

“The 25th round of exploratory talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front ended [on Wednesday] with both sides expressing satisfaction on the progress of their discussions, and recognizing the many challenges that have yet to be resolved in order to find a political solution to the Bangsamoro question and the armed conflict in Mindanao,” the statement said.

“The parties acknowledge the need to explore creative approaches that will address the political, legal and other dimensions of the problems,” it added.

Peace negotiators, led by the government’s Marvic Leonen and the MILF’S Mohagher Iqbal, agreed to resume talks next month in Malaysia.

Kuala Lumpur is brokering the peace negotiations in an effort to end decades of bloody fighting in southern Philippines, where rebels are demanding a Muslim sub-state.

“The peace process with the MILF has moved forward. Now, we have moved at least a few feet. The day will come, I hope very, very soon that we will be able to sign a peace agreement,” Leonen said.

“We always believe that it is always possible to find solutions to a problem, review it, adjust and later on achieve the kind of peace that is permanent, that is founded on justice for all that are concerned on the ground,” he added.

Iqbal described the talks as “very emotional, because it affects the collective future of our people.”