FORCES GATHER VS. GRP-MILF MOA
ROXAS, MINDANAO LEADERS DISPUTE AGREEMENT AT SUPREME COURT

Senator Mar Roxas said that the business sector has added its voice to the millions of Filipinos who are opposing the controversial GRP-MILF Peace Panel Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain.

He noted that the Makati Business Club has issued a statement that sums up how the government peace panel has disregarded the people's interests and circumvented the Constitution.

The Senator from Capiz said: "We have learned over the past several weeks how unaware the affected local governments and their people were to what the government peace panel was doing behind their backs. By creating a separate Bangsamoro Juridical Entity within the country, the government would have only succeeded in increasing hostilities in the South, under the guise of a 'peace agreement.'"

Part of the MBC statement reads: "? We oppose the GRP-MILF Peace Panel Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain ("GRP-MILF MOA") because it is flawed in the process just as it is flawed in its provisions. What was lost in the process was any appreciation for legitimacy in a democracy that stems from winning consensus, including the consent of the governed. Many, if not all, of its provisions violate the Constitution, which strangely enough the Memorandum never mentions by name ?"

"?. The Memorandum of Agreement will result in a diminution of Philippine sovereignty as it empowers its juridical creation to enter into economic agreements and trade relations with foreign countries, to open trade missions abroad, and to participate in meetings of the ASEAN and UN specialized agencies where only sovereign states take part."

By all indications, the Ilonggo Senator said, the government peace panel had mishandled negotiations with the MILF, leading to an unconstitutional Memorandum of Agreement. Among the provincial and local governments that have expressed their opposition are Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Iligan City, Zamboanga City and Isabela City, representing a total of 4 million people.

Roxas was at the Supreme Court this morning for the oral arguments on the GRP-MILF MoA. He is joined by North Cotabato Vice-Governor Manny Piñol, former Senate President Franklin Drilon and Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat, among other officials who have asked the Supreme Court to stop the implementation of the agreement.

He has been to Mindanao twice in the last week, and has met with Sultan Kudarat Governor Teng Mangudadatu, South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Fuentes, Tacurong City Mayor Lino Montilla, Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Cruz, Vice-Governor Piñol and Mayor Lobregat.