Celso asks GRP: don’t use MOA-AD as reference for new talks
Mayor Celso Lobregat shares his views on the peace talks with Government Peace Panel chair Rafael Seguis at the Traders Hotel in Manila Tuesday, August 26. Also in photo are Seguis’ staff Atty. Zoilo Velasco and Wendell Orbeso. (JOEY BAUTISTA)
Mayor Celso Lobregat on Tuesday asked Government Peace Panel Chair Rafael Seguis not to use the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) as reference point for renewed talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as it has been declared unconstitutional and not within the bounds of law by the Supreme Court.
“In fact, it should not even be mentioned at all,” the mayor declared during a one-on-one interview-meeting with Seguis at the Traders’ Hotel in Manila Tuesday afternoon.
The meeting which lasted for 2 and a half hours, was part of the joint activities undertaken by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in partnership with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) in preparation for the observance of National Peace Consciousness Month in September.
Lobregat is one of the key figures and personalities in Mindanao invited by the national government for an individual interview and dialogue session with the purpose of soliciting their views about a range of issues concerning peace, security and development.
The mayor, who was one of the three Mindanao local government officials who spearheaded the fight against the MOA-AD last year, said the agreement has been declared unconstitutional by no less than the highest court of the land, thus, cannot be cited in the renewed peace talks.
The MOA-AD was supposed to be forged by the GRP and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Malaysia last August 5, 2008 but the timely Supreme Court ruling issued on a day before the signing ceremony stalled the same.
It was the contention of the petitioners including Lobregat that the Supreme Court should declare the MOA-AD unconstitutional so that it cannot be used as basis or starting point of any peace talks in the future.
Lobregat during the meeting with Seguis also opined that the peace talks may resume but the same should be with MILF leaders who are not involved in acts of criminality.
“Authorities should bring members of the MILF who are involved with acts of criminality to justice”, the mayor emphasized, referring to the series of atrocities that occurred recently in Mindanao including Basilan where the MILF members are said to be involved.
Lobregat also shared his views on other issues concerning peace, security and development. Other Zamboanga officials who are included in the list of key figures for interview by OPAPP are Congresspersons Beng Climaco and Erbie Fabian and Councilor Abdurahman Nuño.
Meanwhile, the mayor today is expected to attend the hearing called by Senate
Committee on National Defense headed by Sen. Rodolfo Biazon at the Garden Orchid Hotel today regarding the proposal to stop the resumption of the peace talks with the MILF. (Sheila Covarrubias)