STATEMENT ON THE DISSOLUTION OF THE GRP-MILF PEACE PANEL

"The dissolution of the GRP-MILF peace panel at such an uncertain time is another irrational, knee-jerk and desperate move of the executive. President Arroyo is further destabilizing the situation through continued failure to be transparent, direct and consistent in her and the peace panel's actions. We are all still waiting for the truth behind the MoA-AD.

"Dati dinaan itong MoA sa sikreto. Noong nagkaroon ng kontrobersiya, sisihan ang kanilang stratehiya. Ngayon, hugas-kamay ang Palasyo, wala raw silang alam, ang peace panel ang nagkamali, kaya i-dissolve na lang.

"So has the government fully retreated in the peace process? What about all the security and development mechanisms of the peace process such as the International Monitoring Team lead by Malaysia, the projects of USAID and JICA in the conflict areas, or the multilateral Mindanao Trust Fund of the World Bank? Was Malaysia consulted or even informed of this sudden unilateral move?

"I support a full-blown inquiry of the Senate into this 180-degree turnaround by the government. I demand that all official records of the peace talks reposed in the executive branch, including diplomatic notes and communiques, be preserved and presented by the executive branch for public scrutiny."