Skip to content

Philippines Today

home of the Global Filipino

Menu
  • News Stories
  • Regional News
  • Business & Economy
  • Science & Technology
  • International
Menu

Govt postpones peace talks with MILF

Posted on August 23, 2007

PHILIPPINE NEWS SERVICE — THE government wants to resume peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in September, but it wants no more than 300 villages included in the rebel group’s ancestral domain, an official said yesterday.

Government chief negotiator Rodolfo Garcia said he had unilaterally informed the Malaysian brokers that the talks scheduled today had been postponed to give the government more time to prepare.

“I apologize for whatever inconvenience that decision caused the MILF, but I believe this is for the better good,” Garcia said.

“The government panel needs to refine its position on the topics, especially on the ancestral domain issue which is very high on the agenda,” he said.

A ranking MILF official saw nothing wrong with the postponement.

“It’s the government’s call and we’ve to respect it,” said Jaafar Gazali, vice chairman of the MILF’s Central Committee.

“Perhaps they ran short of time in the preparation and they need some more time to prepare for everything,” he said, but added they hoped the government would not prolong the postponement.

Garcia made his apology after MILF peace panel secretariat head Jun Mantawil said members of their panel were already on their way to Kuala Lumpur when they were informed of the cancellation.

“It was so sudden,” Mantawil said.

“This is the second time the government postponed at the last hour after Malacañang unilaterally announced the resumption on Aug. 22,” he said.

Garcia said the postponement would benefit both panels as it would buy them more time to come up with a clear set of proposals.

“Rather than go to Malaysia with a half-baked proposal, I think it would be better to have a complete government position to prevent any more impasse in the future,” Garcia said.

“I think what we have to offer is something more enticing and they would approve of it,” he said.

Garcia said the number of villages that the government would agree to add to the Bangsamoro Judicial Territory would be lower than the 600 it had offered originally.

The MILF had originally asked that 1,200 villages be appended to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“Around 300 to 400 maybe, but definitely lower than 600,” Garcia said.

“This time we agreed that the areas should be contiguous to the ARMM and no longer demographic. I believe that is also what the MILF wants, and it is what we are willing to offer,” he said.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • More
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit

Related

News Categories

  • Announcement (34)
  • Business & Economy (1,567)
  • Comment and Opinion (74)
    • Random Thoughts (18)
  • Current Issues (425)
    • Charter Change (1)
    • Election (228)
    • Population (6)
  • International (389)
  • Life In Japan (66)
    • Everything Japan (41)
  • Literary (34)
  • Miscellaneous (610)
  • News Stories (5,312)
  • OFW Corner (297)
  • Others (75)
  • People (408)
  • Press Releases (163)
  • Regional News (3,362)
  • Science and Technology (502)
  • Sports & Entertainment (287)

Latest News

  • BSP keeps policy rates anew December 17, 2015
  • NEDA cuts PHL additional rice import for 2016 by 25% December 17, 2015
  • DA cites serious implications of banning genetically modified products December 17, 2015
  • BBL is not yet dead – Drilon December 17, 2015
  • Comelec recognizes Duterte’s CoC for president December 17, 2015
  • NEDA chief sees 2015 growth at 6% despite typhoons December 17, 2015
  • House of Representatives ratifies bicam report on P3.002-T national budget for 2016 December 17, 2015
  • Cebu-based developer invests PHP430M to build 709 townhouse units in north Cebu town December 17, 2015
  • City gov’t eyes P75-M income from economic enterprise December 17, 2015
  • Baguio City LGU presents traffic plan for holiday season December 17, 2015

Archives

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Science and Technology

  • DOST-ICTO targets 500,000 web-based workers from countryside by 2016
  • (Feature) STARBOOKS: A ‘makeover’ for librarians
  • Science, research reduce ‘cocolisap’ hotspot areas in PHL
  • Montejo to further improve PAGASA and empower scientists
  • 1st PPP in biomedical research produces knee replacement system fit for Asians

Press Releases

  • Microsoft to buy Nokia’s mobile devices business for 5.44-B euros
  • New World Bank climate change report should spur SEA and world leaders into action: Greenpeace
  • Save the Philippine Seas before it’s too late — Greenpeace
  • Palanca Awards’ last call for entries
  • Philippines joins the global call for Arctic protection

Comment and Opinion

  • Remembering the dead is a celebration of life
  • Killer earthquake unlikely to hit Panay Island in near future – analyst
  • It’s not just more fun to invest in the Philippines, it is also profitable, says President Aquino
  • How does one differentiate a tamaraw from a carabao?
  • Fun is not just about the place, it is also about the people, says DOT chief

OFW Corner

  • Ebola infection risk low in Croatia
  • Death toll rises to 41, over 100 still missing in landslide in India
  • Asbestos use in construction a labor hazard
  • 500,000 OFWs to benefit POEA on-line transactions — Baldoz
  • 25 distressed OFWs return home from Riyadh
©2025 Philippines Today | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme