MANILA, 20 June 2007 — Malacañang has reconsidered its choice of a Catholic priest as chief government negotiator in peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) following strong reactions from the separatist group’s leadership.
At a press conference yesterday, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the Palace is still looking for a “suitable” replacement to Secretary Silvestre Afable, who resigned as chief negotiator last week.
“I believe the process for searching for a suitable replacement is still in effect and the announcement would be made at the proper time,” Bunye said.
The MILF’s chief negotiator yesterday blamed two senior advisers of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for Afable’s unexpected resignation, which the group considered a setback to the peace process.
Mohagher Iqbal identified the duo as Jesus Dureza, presidential peace adviser, and National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales. “We have unimpeachable sources from the (Malacañang) Palace who told us the two — Dureza and Gonzales — were behind Afable’s sudden resignation,” Iqbal told Arab News.
Iqbal said the two officials, with the participation of an unidentified, but influential religious group, hatched the plan to remove Afable last week for still unknown reasons.
While the MILF has no doubt about the integrity and sincerity of Fr. Eliseo Mercado Jr. as a peace advocate, Iqbal said, Afable should not have been replaced because he “has done so much for the peace process.”
Iqbal called Dureza and Gonzales “gigolo and spoilers of the peace process.” Dureza was a former lead government negotiator with the MILF, but had resigned after rebel leaders accused him of secretly inserting a provision on a previously signed agreement.
Dureza, who announced the choice of Mercado over the weekend, admitted yesterday that the priest was the choice of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process to replace Afable.
But he confirmed that there was no new appointment yet and that they would have to get clearance first now that the MILF is objecting to the priest as Afable’s replacement. He said it was important that negotiators are acceptable too all parties involved in the peace talks.
Dureza, who announced the choice of Mercado over the weekend, admitted yesterday that the priest was the choice of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process to replace Afable.
But he confirmed that there was no new appointment yet and that they would have to get clearance first now that the MILF is objecting to the priest as Afable’s replacement.
He said it was important that negotiators are acceptable too all parties involved in the peace talks.
“Well, things are moving in that direction to clear it up, not to convince (the MILF) but to clear up this issue. And then if that will be cleared, then probably that will pave the way for the appointment,” he said in a separate interview over the ABS-CBN News Channel when asked if they need to convince the rebels to accept the priest.
But Dureza said he still believes Mercado, a noted peace advocate, is the right person to take up the “unfinished task” of Afable.
The MILF is the country’s largest Muslim rebel group fighting for a separate homeland in the troubled, but mineral-rich region of Mindanao.
Still on Track
Mercado, meanwhile, said there would be no delays in talks despite his predecessor’s abrupt resignation.
Mercado told Reuters the next round of talks would be held in July as planned.
He said he had also assured the rebels he would have full authority to commit the government to any deal agreed in negotiations.
“The concerns raised by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are the same apprehensions and concerns I raised when the job was offered to me,” Mercado said.
“I was promised by government that I have full authority, a cabinet rank, access to the president and others. That’s the assurance I was given.”
Analysts have said Mercado could fare even worse, since he is not part of government and is a churchman.
“These are all perceptions,” said the 59 year-old missionary of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, who was president of the Roman Catholic-run Notre Dame University in Cotabato City on Mindanao for about 10 years until 2001.
“Peace-making is not a politicized and partisan matter. It knows no color, no ideology and no religion to be sustainable, stable and to be carried on from one government to another,” he said.
Rudy Rodil, a history professor and a member of Manila’s peace negotiating team with the MILF, said he was hopeful the talks would resume next month because delays could erode confidence.
“The sooner we sit down again and talk, the better,” Rodil said, adding that Afable’s resignation would cause only a slight delay.
“We’re supposed to finalize a deal on the territory issue when we resume our exploratory talks and hope to discuss the government’s ‘new formula’ in reaching a final peace agreement within the year.” Rodil said the new formula includes the government’s recognition of the Muslims’ right to self-determination, granting them full autonomy, except in the areas of national defense, foreign policy, monetary and the postal system.
Once a deal is signed, Manila would ask its Congress to pass a law authorizing Muslims to write their own charter and granting them political power over a territory in the south for a period of 20 years.
At the end of the transition period, the Muslims would vote to determine their final political status, choosing to remain as an autonomous region, a federal state or a separate and fully independent nation.
Since 1997, the government has been talking with the MILF to end conflict that has killed more than 120,000 people and displaced 2 million in the south of the mainly Roman Catholic country in Southeast Asia.
Talks over the size and wealth of the proposed Muslim homeland have been stalled since September 2006, although backroom negotiations continued. (With input from Inquirer News Service & Reuters)
