By Atty. Bong Montesa
Former member of the GPH peace panel

We need to amend the Constitution to accommodate Moro rights and aspirations. One of the blocks to a comprehensive political settlement with the MILF is the present Philippine Constitution (as currently designed and structured) which deprives the Bangsamoro people of their fundamental right to meaningful and effective self-determination. Thus, when the Government says that charter change is not a priority (although in the same breath, it says that peace is a priority), it is a cause for concern.

|Thursday| November 25, 2010 | Filed under: COMMENT. By Patricio P. Diaz |Published with expressed permission from the author

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (November 24) — That from the start Malaysian officials, from the prime minister down to the designated facilitator, exhorted the MILF not to negotiate for independence was a pitch for the Philippines, not the MILF. Since Santos’ paper covered only the period until 2003 — the year Datok Othman became director-general of OPM-RD of Malaysia and, consequently, the GRP-MILF peace talk facilitator – it does not tell what happened beyond that year.Out in the Open

By Patricio P. Diaz | Thursday| September 29, 2011

IV. MILF’s Response

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – As the North Star was to ancient sailors, so “Continuity” is to MILF in their negotiation with the Philippine Government. “Follow the North Star or you get lost” was the first commandment of ancient sailors. Following the Declaration of Continuity is the only way to go forward is MILF’s unbending position.

By Patricio P. Diaz

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, July 23, 2012 — Five days have elapsed since the 29th Exploratory Talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Kuala Lumpur ended last July 18. We are still in the dark as to what truly and really transpired. All we got were motherhood statements and jaded rhetoric. We are told: All went well but “devils” lie in ambush on the road ahead.