Cayetano urges MILF to help gov’t fight terrorism in Mindanao

MANILA, Jan. 7 (PNA) – Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano urged the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Wednesday to prove their sincerity to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao by helping the government fight terrorism in the region.Cayetano made the appeal as the Senate conducts a series of public hearings on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) provided for in the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) signed by the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the MILF last year.” The MILF should prove that they are on the side of the government. My request to them is to help in apprehending and fighting all the elements of terrorism in Mindanao like the BIFF and Abu Sayyaf Group,” Cayetano said in a Senate media interview.Cayetano emphasized that the peace agreement with the MILF will be useless if the attacks being perpetrated by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the Abu Sayyaf Group will continue in Mindanao. What’s the point if they (MILF) will lead but the elements of terrorism and illegal activities will continue to flourish in Mindanao?,” Cayetano asked.The BIFF is a new group of radical armed Muslims advocating independence. The Abu Sayyaf members have been engaged in extortion, kidnap-for-ransom, and series of attacks in the towns and military detachments in Mindanao.Cayetano said there is a need to study carefully the creation of the Bangsamoro political entity to make sure that all the people in Mindanao will benefit from the peace agreement. My apprehension is that if we have already peace deal with the MILF, the BIFF will regain strength. The purpose of compromise and agreement is to have lasting peace. But if the peace is for the leaders only, and the fighters will transfer to other armed groups, we will not achieve peace,” Cayetano said.He said more time is needed for the Senate to scrutinize the proposed BBL under the Senate Committee on Local Government headed by Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.”I’m hoping that everybody should have an open mind to hasten our consultation,” Cayetano said.Cayetano said the BBL is one of the priority measures the Senate will tackle in the first quarter of 2015. (PNA)SCS/JFM