MANILA, Philippines - A thorough review of the governments agreement on ancestral domain with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is needed following the recent atrocities perpetrated by the group in Central Mindanao, government lawyers said.
This, even as the Office of the Solicitor General on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to quash all petitions questioning the constitutionality of the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain to be signed with the MILF
Solicitor-General Agnes Devanadera admitted that the memorandum of agreement (MOA) on ancestral domain will never be signed at its present form.
Circumstances have changed from the time of the intended signing of the MOA in Malaysia. Following the filing of various petitions questioning the constitutionality of the MOA, fighting in some areas in Muslim Mindanao had resurfaced led by some disgruntled groups of the MILF, she said.
Devanadera said the executive department will conduct further negotiations with the MILF to address the issues hurled against the MOA.
The Office of the Solicitor General is representing the government panel that is talking peace with the secessionist organization.
In its motion, Devanadera insisted that the agreement is not yet a done deal but merely a codification of consensus points reached between the GRP and MILF peace panels and the aspirations of MILF to have a Bangsamoro homeland.
The respondents are clear in their position that the actualization or realization of the aspiration of MILF to have a Bangsamoro homeland of their own shall be achieved only by complying with the existing legal processes such as the enactment of appropriate legislation, amendment of the Constitution itself as well as the holding of a plebiscite, she said. - GMANews.TV