The
peace talks, albeit informal, have resumed between the government and the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front, the presidential adviser on the peace process said on
Thursday.
Secretary Teresita Deles, the peace adviser,
said the talks were expected to take up "crucial issues" arising from
the clash last month between government and MILF forces in Al-Barka, Basilan
(southern Philippines).
The encounter happened despite a cease-fire
agreement between the two sides killed 19 soldiers and triggered calls for an
all-out war against the Moro rebels.
Informal meeting
Deles said the talks in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia, were scheduled only for Thursday.
"It is an informal meeting which was
originally agreed upon to discuss how to move substantive negotiations forward
following the submission of the GPH (Philippine government) proposal to the
MILF," Deles said in a text message.
"In light of the crucial issues arising
from the Al-Barka incident, we also expect important matters to be
discussed," she added.
Confidence
In an earlier interview over government radio
dzRB, Deles expressed confidence that the informal talks would push through in
early November.
"Because of what happened in Al-Barka,
when the two panels meet, they will discuss what should be done so that those
that need accountability would be taken to account and so that a similar
incident would no longer happen," Deles said.
Deles said the talks would be informal in the
wake of the facilitation that Malaysia had been conducting after both sides
rejected each other’s proposed peace agreements.
Continue pursuing peace
In the Palace Thursday, Undersecretary Abigail
Valte, President Benigno Aquino’s deputy spokesperson, said the president had
told the peace panel to continue pursuing peace with the MILF.
Asked if the government panel would ask the
other side to cooperate in the hunt for lawless elements in Mindanao, Valte
said, "Yes, the President already said in his statement last week to
cooperate."
"(And) that they have been informed that
the MILF is not being targeted as an entity. Rather, this is a law enforcement
operation to pursue lawless elements," she said.
Norman Bordadora
Philippine Daily Inquirer
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