ON MILF - GRP PEACE AGREEMENT :
SENATE PEACE COMMITTEE TO CALL FOR HEARING

As Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Peace and National Unification , I intend to call the respective members of the Government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Peace Panels to a public hearing and to explain before the Senate Committee on Peace the provisions of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain.

I have filed Senate Resolution no. 91 "DIRECTING THE COMMITTEE ON PEACE, UNIFICATION AND RECONCILATION AND COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL DEFENSE AND SECURITY TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE STATUS OF PEACE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES (GRP) AND THE MORO ISLAMIC LIBERATION FRONT (MILF) AND THE MORO NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT (MNLF) IN VIEW OF THE ESCALATING ARMED CONFLICT IN MINDANAO AND THE NEED TO DETERMINE WHAT IS THE PEACE POLICY OF THE MACAPAGAL-ARROYO ADMINISTRATION."

There are serious concerns that should be addressed, particularly on what is the real motive behind the execution of this agreement? Is it really for peace or are there any other business considerations involved?

Signing a peace agreement is one thing but implementing it is another. The Government has been known not to observe its peace agreements, such as that of the MNLF and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines . It is the duty of the Government to explain the terms and conditions of this agreement with the MILF since this is a matter not only involving ancestral domains. The public has the right to know.