Posted on 11:08 PM, January 12, 2010
Woman negotiator in panel to complete representation
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- A woman would likely replace a member of the government peace panel who resigned last year.
Annabelle T. Abaya, presidential adviser on peace, yesterday said this is to achieve a gender balance in the southern peace talks.
She said they have yet to identify the person who will replace former peace panel member Adelbert W. Antonino who resigned as member of the government panel last month.
"I would love to have a woman in the GRP (government of the Republic of the Philippines) peace panel," she told BusinessWorld.
Ms. Abaya said this would complete the representation of every sector in the talks, adding negotiations would resume later this month in Kuala Lumpur.
"We really hope to sign a final peace pact with the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) before the term of the President ends," she said.
Meanwhile, the MILF has completed the members of its ceasefire body.
In a statement, the central committee of the MILF said it has briefed its "more than 60-man work force," which comprises the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH), Ad hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) and Local Monitoring Teams (LMTs) on their mandates.
"[This is] to explain the MILF principles and guidelines in the ongoing peace process with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines," the MILF said.
Members of the CCCHs and LMTs, or ceasefire monitor bodies, were instructed to follow the provisions of the ceasefire agreement, while AHJAG, which handles anti-crime efforts, will work along the implementing guidelines on the joint communique signed on May 6, 2002, said Mohagher Iqbal, chairman of the MILF peace negotiating panel.
"The conference was convened in preparation to the redeployment of the Malaysia-led International Monitoring Team (IMT) in Mindanao with the principal role of monitoring cum investigation on the adherence or otherwise to GRP-MILF Agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities and component agreement on civilian protection," Mr. Iqbal said.
Aside from Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Libya and Japan, non-state members of the IMT are the International Committee of the Red Cross, Belgium-based Nonviolent Peace Force and the Mindanao People’s Caucus.
Both peace panels earlier said it is essential for the peace mechanisms and joint ceasefire committee to be in place before the resumption of second round of talks this month.
Through an agreement, both panels have formalized the reactivation of the mandates of peace mechanisms and ceasefire committee. -- Darwin T. Wee
