2008-08-24 18:22:15 - After the atrocities in the Southern Philippines it seems hard to see the peace process continuing

Widespread consultations on the proposed Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) is now in the offing no matter what the decision of the Supreme Court will be on the constitutionality of MOA-AD.

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Press Secretary Jesus G. Dureza said the next step will already see consultations with all stakeholders, with the Bishop-Ulama conference earlier called by the

President to help get the pulse of the affected populace.

Stressing the government will no longer sign the MOA-AD in its present form, Dureza said everything now depends on the results of said consultations.

'We will conduct consultations because they were saying there are no consultations o kung meron man ay kulang; may mga tutol sa MOA-AD so rerepasuhin muna natin ito,' Dureza said.

Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo asked the leadership of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Friday night to immediately surrender the rogue elements of the secessionist group in Mindanao who committed atrocities against civilians in Mindanao and face the bar of justice.

'The peace process must be anchored on justice. Hence, the MILF must turn in Commanders Umbra Kato, Bravo and Pangalian to face the bar of justice,' the President said in her speech at the 20th anniversary of Toyota Motor Corporation held at the Grand Ballroom of Makati Shangri-la in Makati City.

The President issued the message as she stressed that the national government never deviated from its peace negotiations with the MILF despite her marching order to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to conduct 'full, vigorous, unrelenting pursuit operations' against lawless MILF members who attacked innocent civilians in North Cotabato, Saranggani and Lanao Del Norte provinces.

"There is no all-out war, only all-out peace in Mindanao," the President said, adding that the military operations are limited only against the suspects who committed criminal acts against innocent civilians, killing them, burning their houses and taking away their properties,' Dureza said.

She said that the ongoing police and military operations against renegade MILF leaders and their followers are only meant to ensure the success of the peace process once fightings in Mindanao subside and both sides agree to resume negotiations.

'The campaign we are waging is intended to remove the obstacles to peace,' she said.

The President also said that if the MILF leaders were really sincere in ending the hostilities in Mindanao, they should turn over commanders Ameril Umbra Kato, Abdulrahman Macapaar alias "Bravo' and Pangalian to the proper authorities because they are "recalcitrants" who pose problems to the peace process.

"They are the ones that we expect to create problems even after a final peace agreement has been signed," the President said.

Meanwhile, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita earlier said the peace process would continue even as government troops hunt down the two renegade MILF commanders.

"We are not putting the peace talks in the backburner. The peace process moves on," he said.

Ermita explained that while the President's directive was to go after the rogue MILF commanders, the President wanted to ensure that collateral damage would be avoided.

"It is in this light that military and police forces, as part of their pursuit operations, and representatives from various government agencies are to touch base and work closely with local government officials and community leaders in areas affected to ensure the delivery of necessary social services to people," he said.

Ermita also said that the laying down of arms by the MILF is not a condition by the government before talking anew to the secessionist group.

"The talks will continue... the matter of disarmament will be a subject that can be effectively addressed when the peace agreement is signed," he said.