Celso lectures VM on peace panel representation
With his substantial knowledge on peace panel composition as well as peace negotiations between the government and secessionist groups, Mayor Celso Lobregat has emphasized anew that the appointing authority for any membership in the government peace panel is “exclusively vested upon and within the sole jurisdiction and prerogative of the President”.
Lobregat stressed this in his response to the letter of Vice Mayor Manuel Dalipe requesting that the chief executive “make representations to the national government” and endorse him “as member of the government panel to represent either the local government units (LGUs) or the business sector” in the resumed peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Foremost, Lobregat said, a tracer shall be sent to Malacanang to inquire into the status of the request of the City Council per resolution 607 dated August 12, 2009 earnestly requesting President Arroyo “to allow a nominated representative from the city government of Zamboanga to have a seat in the peace panel or become an active participant in the peace process.”
“Be notified that Resolution 607 was already transmitted by this office to the President per letter dated Sept. 9, 2009. To date, there has been no response received from the Office of the president regarding the matter. Be advised that before acting on your letter, a tracer shall be sent to the Office of the President to inquire into the status of the said request. This is so because it is not advisable to endorse anybody for such a position if the response to the request per said S.P. resolution is negative,” the mayor said in his letter to Dalipe dated Dec. 23, 2009.
“Be guided that the appointing authority for any membership in the GRP peace panel is exclusively vested upon and within the sole jurisdiction and prerogative of the President. Apparently, it would be useless for the undersigned to act on your request if no positive action has yet been taken by the Office of the President,” Lobregat’s letter read.
Lobregat also advised the vice mayor that the members of the GRP peace panel “are not appointed to represent a specific local government unit”.
Ambassador Rafael Seguis, a career and longtime diplomat is the panel chairman while the membership of the panel is based on the concept of tri-people representation. Nasser Pangandaman represents the Muslim community; Hon. Tomas Cabili represents the Christian sector; Hon. Ronald Adamat represents the indigenous cultural communities, while Hon. Adel Antonino, a former mayor and congressman represents the LGUs and the business sector, according to Lobregat.
“According to you, in the spirit of equal representation, Hon. Antonino should only represent one sector, and as such you are requesting the city mayor to support and endorse you as GRP member, either the representative of LGUs or the business sector. As a representative of the business sector, one should represent not only the business sector in Zamboanga City, but the entire business community all over the country, especially in Mindanao. For the clarification of the public, what business credentials do you have to qualify as a member of the GRP peace panel representing the business sector of the Philippines? Please submit your business credentials so we can review and evaluate the same,” the mayor told Dalipe in his letter.
Lobregat also pointed out the protocol on confidentiality which members of the peace panel of the GRP and the MILF are bound and subjected to, citing the “Framework Agreement on the Formation of the International Contract Group for the GRP-MILF peace process” adopted Sept. 15, 2009 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The confidentiality clause reads as follows: “All information, data or opinion generated or exchanged in connection with the work of the ICG shall be strictly privileged and confidential.”
The mayor said Dalipe’s pronouncements to the media which were published in a local newspaper last Dec. 10, 2009 stating that “I am not bothered by this secrecy clause because nobody can tell me what to say to the people I serve.” run contrary to the framework agreement.
“Clearly, your statement to the press does not conform to the protocol of confidentiality set forth under the Framework Agreement. Please clarify the matter to us before any action shall be undertaken to your request,” the chief executive said.
The mayor also sought Dalipe’s clarification regarding the latter’s pronouncement on going on leave as vice mayor which was published in the same local newspaper also on Dec. 10. “I am willing to go on peace as vice mayor and sit as representative of Zamboanga City in the peace panel…,” the paper quoted Dalipe as saying.
Lobregat said: “Let us be clarified on the matter. While you have allegedly stated the foregoing pronouncement to the media, you have never mentioned the fact of your intention to go on leave, if endorsed, in your letter to the undersigned. For the undersigned’s guidance, were you just misquoted? Supposing that you would be endorsed by the undersigned, will you go on leave? If yes, when should the same take effect, at the time of endorsement? Please also clarify this point.”
The mayor stressed that he will wait for the vice mayor’s reply on the matters he raised before he will take action on the request. (Sheila Covarrubias)