October 10, 2009 – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) conducted a series of consultations on the status of the peace process between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the MILF to the constituents and civil society organizations of Zamboanga City and the island province of Sulu these past few days.

The MILF also conducted scores of consultations in Basilan and Isabela City.
 
Mohagher Iqbal, Chief of the MILF Peace Negotiating Panel, Atty. Datu Michael Mastura, Member, Abdullah Kamlian, Chair of the Peace Panel Technical Working Group (TWG), and Jun Mantawil, Head of the Secretariat spearheaded the consultations.

Consultations for MILF political committees and Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), and  CSOs were conducted in separate sessions.

Iqbal said the consultations were organized in order for him as the Peace Panel head to personally apprise, especially to the MILF constituents, about the latest developments and prospects of the peace process with the government.

He added that it is his obligation to personally update and interact with the leaders and members of the MILF in Zamboanga and island provinces with regard to the status of the peace process despite given security risks in order to establish the correct perspective.    
Iqbal said that the he had coordinated with undersecretary Rafael Seguis, head of the government peace negotiating panel about the consultations, which Iqbal said are geared toward mustering broader understanding, appreciation and support for the peace process.  

Chairman Iqbal repeatedly appealed for massive support for the peace process even as he called on the CSOs to further their constructive participation with the peace process.
Iqbal stressed that the CSOs play a significant role in keeping the more than 10-year-old peace process moving, especially during its difficult times particularly after the botched signing of the initialed MOA-AD.      

Non-governmental organizations, media, academicians, researchers, religious sectors, youth leaders, workers, local government units, MILF political leaders and BIAF members graced the consultations.

The status of the unsigned but initialed GRP – MILF Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD), and the Framework Agreement on the formation of the International Contact Group (ICG) for the GRP – MILF peace process which was signed by Chairman Iqbal and Usec Seguis and witnessed by Datuk Othman bun Abdul Razak last September 15, 2009 in Malaysia were clarified.  

Participants expressed full support to the peace process and appealed for the immediate organization and operation of the ICG.

On the one hand, the MILF participants expressed gratitude to Atty. Mastura for his dedication to the GRP-MILF Peace process. They begged Mastura to remain in the MILF peace panel.

“The Bangsamoro people need Atty. Mastura. We will not allow you to be replaced in the peace panel”, the participants clamored.

Months ago, the government asked for the replacement of Iqbal, Maulana Alonto (member of the panel) and Atty Mastura from the panel for the shallow reason that some members of the GRP peace panel were also replaced. The government further said that if Iqbal and Alonto could not be replaced, then at least Mastura could be replaced.
The MILF leadership said that there is no way that Iqbal, Mastura and Alonto will be replaced just because the government requested it.  

”I am the team captain but Atty Mastura is the most valuable player of the peace panel”, Igbal pointed out.