Escudero to Deles: Start speaking for PHL govt

Published February 26, 2015 2:55pm

Speak for and fight for the welfare of the Filipino people.

This was the call made Thursday by Senator Francis Escudero to presidential peace adviser Teresita Deles and the government peace panel whom he claimed has sided with and became the mouthpiece of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

“Yung nakikipag usap at nakikipagtalakayan sa MILF at si Sec. Deles mismo, matagal ko nang ipinanawagan sa kanila, iparamdam naman sa amin na magkakampi kami, iparamdam naman nila na kakampi nila ang kasundaluhan at kapulisan, wag na lang yung puro panig ng MILF ang palagi nilang binubukambibig,” he said during the weekly news forum at the Senate.

“(Dapat na silang) palitan o magsimula naman silang magsalita para sa atin,” he added.

The senator said it seemed, instead of pushing for the welfare of the Filipino people, the government peace panel, headed by Miriam Coronel Ferrer, has totally sided with the MILF.

“OK lang naman sa akin na makipag-usap sila nang maayos sa counterpart nila pero iparamdam naman sa amin na kakampi kami. Wag yung kada bibigyan sila ng pagkakataon e palaging kabilang panig yung pinagtatanggol nila,” he said.

Changed sides

Earlier, Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano also called for the firing of the members of the peace panel.

“Ang nangyayari, ang OPAPP at ang peacec panel natin, walang miyembro ng government. Lahat member ng MILF. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang nangyari sa kanila na pumalit sila ng side," Cayetano said.

"I’m calling for their resignation. Actually, the President should fire them and not even get their resignation,” he added.

Senate President Franklin Drilon rejected calls for the resignation of the government peace panel members saying calling them unfair. He said the replacement of the panel members would only derail the peace process.

“I appeal for a deeper public support and understanding of the role of the government peace panel in the realization of our goal of providing lasting and genuine peace in Mindanao, which for four decades suffered from all forms of insurgency and criminality,” he said in a press statement.

“While I fully understand and recognize the public's high emotions following the Mamasapano tragedy, Secretary Teresita Deles and Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer do not deserve to be maligned in such an unwarranted manner," Drilon said.

He said Deles, Ferrer and the rest of the government peace panel were tasked with securing peace in Mindanao, and their actions before and after the Mamasapano incident are based on their mandates.

"Let us not be too hard on those working for the preservation of the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Contrary to accusation, our peace panel is actually protecting the government and the Filipino people’s interest by protecting and continuing the peace process amid the tensions resulting from the Mamasapano clash,” Drilon said.

“It is highly unfair and improper for people to label as traitors those striving to ensure peace in our nation, for all Filipinos," he added.

MILF capable

Escudero said the MILF panel was capable of defending itself and its interests.

“Sa tutuo lang ang galing ng panig at panel ng MILF, nakuha nila lahat ng pwede at gusto nilang makuha sa BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law) at sa mga kasunduan,” Escudero said.

He said that under the BBL, once it is enacted into law, no less than P75 billion would be funneled to the political entity that will be created.

“[Halos] mas malaki pa yan sa pondong ibinibigay natin sa PNP na P70 billion lamang for 2015. Didikit na halos yan sa pondong ibinibigay natin sa AFP na nasa P90 billion," Escudero said.

"Kung sinama pa natin yung taxes fees at charges baka pumantay o lumampas pa. Ang tanong ko, anong makukuha nating kapalit?” he said.

He asked how the government can be sure that the firearms the MILF will surrender are the good ones.

“Hawak pa ba nila yung armas nila, mga dispalinhadong armas ba ang ibibigay nila sa atin at yung mga ayos ay nakabaon pa rin? Ilan ito sa mga mga katanungan na dapat bigyang linaw at ilang katanungan na dapat sagutin, hindi lang ng OPAPP at GRP panel, kundi ng MILF,” Escudero said.

Escudero also said that the government peace panel did not say anything when MILF said that the report on Mamasapano clash, where 44 Special Action Force commandos were killed, will be sent to the Malaysian government, the third party facilitator in the peace negotiation, instead of directly submitting it to the Philippine government.

He further said that the government negotiators were mum when MILF peace panel head Mohagher Iqbal said that the MILF members that will be found liable for the Mamasapano clash will be brought to the International Criminal Court.

“Ang pumalag si (Justice) Sec. Leila de Lima. Ni wala kang narinig na ingay o reklamo mula sa government panel o sa OPAPP. Pati ba ito pinagkasundo na nila? Pinagkanulo na nila at binigay na nila? Wala akong narinig na palag mula sa hanay nila nung narinig ko ang mga salitang yun,” he said.

The senator also asked if the government panel made the MILF believe that the BBL will be passed without any changes.

“Lumabas na sa pagkakaintindi ng MILF nung nakipag-usap sila sa panel ang kausap nila ay executive, legislative at judiciary. Ni hindi rin sila pumalag at sinabing walang ganyan," Escudero said.

"Baka yun talaga ang pinaunawa nila. Pati ngayon hindi namin pwedeng baguhin yung BBL, maski na period, comma, talata, pangungusap, o salita? Bakit? Ginarantiyahan na rin ba nila na ito ay OK na, nakaukit na sa bato,” he said.

Escudero said the panel should have “should have been more forthright, more frank, more open, or more candid to their counterpart in so far as these limitations are concerned.” —NB, GMA News

Tags: peaceprocess