MILF welcomes Noy’s declaration on deals in Bangsamoro

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) yesterday welcomed President Aquino’s statement that the government has not held biddings for oil exploration projects in Bangsamoro areas.

MILF thanked Aquino for acceding to their request to defer the bidding for oil exploration projects in Moro areas in Mindanao until the wealth-sharing issue has been resolved.

“The MILF has expressed gratitude to President Aquino for deciding favorably for the suspension of oil and gas exploration bids award in oil exploration contracts in Mindanao,” the group said in a statement posted on its website luwaran.com.

MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim said while they are not against oil exploration, these should be done at the appropriate time and in the right conditions.

“As a principle, we are not against exploitation of our natural resources, including oil and gas, provided that they redound to the benefits of our people and should be done in the proper time and conditions,” he said.

The MILF in particular cited the Liguasan Marsh in the Cotabato Basin and in Sulu seas, areas that are said to be rich in oil.

Murad said their appeal is “very reasonable and sound” given that the issue of wealth-sharing is still being discussed by the MILF and government negotiators.

The government and the MILF are now crafting the rules of the Bangsamoro framework agreement they signed last Oct. 15.

Other issues being tackled by the negotiators are power-sharing and normalization, including the decommissioning of rebel forces.

In response, Aquino said the government did not hold biddings or awarded service contracts for oil exploration in areas that would be affected by the proposed Bangsamoro entity.

“From what (outgoing) Energy Secretary Rene Almendras explained to me, we have not yet opened the areas for bidding,” Aquino said.

Last year, the energy department said total investments to be attracted by the 4th Philippine Energy Contracting Round could reach $7.5 billion.

The contracting round is in line with the government’s effort to make the Philippines energy self-sufficient.

The contract areas would cover at least 10 million hectares that could hold rich reserves in northwest Palawan, east Palawan and the Sulu Sea. The service contract zones are located in Cagayan, Central Luzon, Northwest Palawan, Mindoro Cuyo, East Palawan, Cotabato and Sulu Sea.

MILF said there are at least two areas up for bidding under the government’s fourth energy contracting round. These are Area 11 in Cotabato, which is around 600,000 hectares, and Area 12, also in Cotabato, involving some 456,000 hectares.

MILF said the basin has an area of 14,000 sq. km and an estimated resource of 158 million bbl. oil equivalents.

Passive

Members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) based in North Cotabato have become passive as the information drive on the ongoing peace process in Mindanao hits the ground, an Army field commander said yesterday.

Lt. Col. Roy Galido, commander of the 40th Infantry Battalion, said that the breakaway Muslim rebel group under Ameril Umbra Kato is in fact receptive of the framework agreement.

“With the support of civilian communities, they’re (BIFF rebels) now passive here to the framework agreement,” Galido said. – With John Unson, Edith Regalado, Jaime Laude