MANILA, Philippines - The pronouncement of Malacañang that it will no longer sign the present form of the agreement on ancestral domain with Moro rebels did not placate the petitioners opposed to the said pact.
In their 19-page joint opposition filed Thursday, former Senate President Franklin Drilon, Sen. Manuel Mar Roxas II, and United Opposition spokesman Adel Tamano said the Supreme Court should still decide on the constitutionality of the ancestral domain deal between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) despite Malacañangs statement.
They also asked the high court to deny the motion and manifestation of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) that sought the dismissal of all petitions on the suit on the ground that government is reviewing its stance on the agreement following the recent MILF attacks in Central Mindanao.
If the Consolidated Petitions are summarily dismissed on the strength thereof, there will be no complete determination of Respondents grave abuse of discretion and unconstitutional actions in excess of or without jurisdiction in agreeing to bind the Government to provisions constituting grave constitutional violations, they stated.
An oral argument for the said issue is scheduled on Friday.
SC spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said the government should categorically state its position during the oral arguments, adding that the motion of the OSG did not mention the suspension of the signing of the agreement, only of reviewing the government's stance.
"There must be a formal manifestation of that intention of the government. Perhaps that will be mentioned by the OSG. So far there has been no categorical statement in the motion. The OSG will have to convince the court and the petitioners of the real intention of the government," he said in a press briefing.
Marquez said the Court will wait until all petitioners have submitted their comments on the OSG motion before addressing the issues raised.
Malacanang earlier decided to withdraw from the signing following the spate of attacks of "lost commands" of the MILF in Central Mindanao, which started less than a month after the high court issued a temporary restraining order against the signing of the agreement in Kuala Lumpur.
The petitions filed questioning the agreement were from the provinces of North Cotabato, Zamboanga del Norte, the cities of Zamboanga and Iligan, and the group of former Senator Ernesto Maceda, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and Aquilino Pimentel III.
Intervenors are composed of the group of Drilon, Roxas and Tamano; the Muslim Sectoral Movement for Peace and Development; Muslim Legal Assistance Foundation Inc.; Indigenous People of Mindanao not belonging to the MILF; Province of Sultan Kudarat, represented by Gov. Suharto Mangudadatu; Municipality of Linamon, Lanao del Norte; and individuals Carlo Gomez, Gerardo Dilig, Nesario Awat, Joselito Alisuag, Richalex Jagmis. - with Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV