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September 20, 2012 News: Members of the MILF peace panel headed by Mohagher Iqbal had attended a forum on peace at the Saint Thomas Aquinas Research Complex of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) on September `2, 2012.

Two other members of the MILF peace panel, Atty. Datu Michael Mastura and Abdulla Camlian, and Jun Mantawil, head of its secretariat joined Iqbal in the “invasion” of the UST, which is the oldest university in the Philippines. Also with the MILF group was Mrs. Lourdes Mastura, wife of Atty. Michael Mastura.

The forum, dubbed as “Peace our Hope, Our Responsibility: The Struggle of the Bangsamoro People, was well attended.

Dr. Lilian Sison, Dean of the UST Graduate Studies, and concurrently Secretary General of the Religions for Peace, Philippines, signed the invitation for the MILF resource speakers. She was ably assisted by Associate Professor Pablito Baybado Jr., who introduced the resource speakers.

The objectives of the forum, according to organizers, were three-fold: To raise awareness on the aspirations and struggles of the Bangsa Moro people and the state of pace process to the Thomasian community and other peace holders; to engage the Thomasian community in dialogue; and to explore possibilities of common action on deeply held and widely accepted principles.

The engagement at the UST was divided into two: Roundtable discussion in the morning and in the afternoon a Foru7m on the Peace Situation in Mindanao and the Struggle of the Bangsamoro people, where students, UST faculty members, and civil society organizations were in attendance.

No less than Reverend Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, Rector of UST led the round table discussion. Among those who also attended were Rev. Fr. Filemon dela Cruz, Vice Rector for Religious Affairs; Rev. Fr. Max Gatela, Dean, Faculty of Philosophy, Ecclesiastical Studies; Rev. Fr. Joseto Bernadas, Regent, Faculty of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Evelyn Songco, Assistant to Rector for Student Affairs; Prof. Giovanna Fontanilla, Office of Public Affairs; Rev. Fr. Pablo Tiong, OP Justice and Peace Commission; Rev. Fr. Carlos Reyes, Executive Secretary CBCP Episcopal Commission on Interreligious Dialogue; Rev. Fr. Cunegundo Garganta, Executive Secretary, CBCP Episcopal Commission on Youth; Fr. Ric Valencia Jr., Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene; and Ted Arago, Focolare Representative.

Baybado Jr. described the forum as well engaged, based on the quality of both the questions and the answers during the open forum.