Press Release
October 15, 2008

KIKO CALLS FOR MINDANAO CEASEFIRE
AFTER SC DECISION ON GRP-MILF

Following the 8-7 of the Supreme Court ordering the GRP-MILF Peacepact unconstitutional, Senate Majority and Independent senator Kiko Pangilinan today called on the Palace to declare immediately a ceasefire in Mindanao.

"The government needs to own up to its mistake in entering into that unconstitutional agreement, and to do this, it needs to spare the people in Mindanao from possible repercussions of the SC decision with the MILF. It needs to declare a ceasefire right away," Kiko said.

Subsequent to the filing of a petition before the Supreme Court of local officials from North Cotabato, Iligan City and Zamboanga City, the high court called the process of crafting the GRP-MILF agreement "whimsical, capricious, oppressive, arbitrary and despotic" and ordered Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon and the government panel to stop the signing and the execution of the agreement. It also added that "the MOA-AD cannot be reconciled with the present Constitution and laws. Not only its specific provisions but the very concept underlying them, namely the associative relationship between the government and the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity."

"The only way to solve the problem in Mindanao is for both camps to show their good faith in huge measures. The Filipino nation is paying such a high price for this war to continue. There are more civilian casualties in this conflict, and so many women and children have been displaced. IT must end soon. Obviously, neither group can afford what this conflict is costing them," Kiko added.

"The conflict in Mindanao will not be put to rest if we use the same, tired methods we have employed all these decades. The first crucial thing to do is to go back to the negotiating table and give the people of Mindanao a chance at peace," Kiko ended.

News Latest News Feed