Press Release
September 15, 2008

Biazon Favors Indonesia To Broker Resumption of GRP-MILF Peace Talks

Senator Rodolfo G Biazon today said the Executive Department of the government must make it publicly known as to the national policy being pursued relative to the peace process.

Biazon said the basic questions are:

(1) Is the peace process being abandoned?

(2) Is the peace process temporarily suspended to be resolved sometime in the future and how long with the suspension be?

"If the peace process will be resumed, will the resumption be dependent on certain conditions such as the Demobilization, Disarmament, Rehabilitation (DDR)?"

"If the peace process is to be abandoned, what will be the appropriate government response to the situation considering the fear of the defenseless civilians that the Kulambugan, Maigo, Maasin depredatory acts by the MILF may be repeated. This will guide the other branches of the government in formulating a legislative response such as the approval of a supplemental budget that may be required to support any government program to pursue law enforcement policies."

"If the peace process will be resumed, I recommend it be resumed to be not under the auspices of the Malaysians. Malaysia's role can only be influenced by a conflict of interest situation because of the Philippine claim to Sabah which has not yet been resolved internationally."

"There is also the matter of the conflicting claims between the Republic of the Philippine and Malaysia regarding certain areas of the Spratlys. Malaysia's credibility as an intermediary in the GRP-MILF process is affected by these conflicting claims. "

"If it is advisable for the peace broker to be any of the members of the ASEAN organization. I would go for Indonesia. "

"I would propose tapping the Indonesians as the one to lead the international monitoring team. Indonesia had credibly brokered the peace agreement between the GRP and the MNLF culminating in the signing of the Jakarta Accord in 1996 as an implementation of the Tripoli Agreement of 1976. Indonesia will be a more acceptable broker for the ongoing GRP-MILF in the event such process will be resumed."

News Latest News Feed