Military welcomes MILF ceasefire,
government urged to reciprocate
By Bong S. Sarmiento, MindaNews

ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews) — The military has welcomed the decision of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to extend its 10-day unilateral ceasefire but said punitive actions against terrorists embedded with the MILF would continue. In a related development, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. urged the Macapagal-Arroyo government to reciprocate the MILF’s gesture or risk losing the initiative for peace. He added that although the MILF’s previous 10-day ceasefire had been punctured with gunfire from both sides, he nevertheless acknowledged that the MILF took a positive step.

“The extension is a welcome development, said Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Narciso Abaya Thursday morning. He came to meet President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is on a week-long trip to different key places in Mindanao.

Abaya wished that it would have been better had the MILF opted for a lifetime ceasefire.

But he said that punitive actions against the MILF would continue, claiming that the military is only after terrorists within the ranks of the MILF and its leaders who are facing criminal charges in court.

In a statement, Pimentel hoped that the ceasefire period will be more sincerely observed.

He said failure on the part of the government and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to reciprocate the MILF ceasefire would be unfortunate because the people of Mindanao are tired of war.

Pimentel warned the government that failure to reciprocate “would be widely criticized.”

The senator also restated his belief that both sides should not impose any condition for the ceasefire and the resumption of the peace talks.

“In my view, placing a condition on a ceasefire before it is accepted would be a setback to the cause of peace. I think we can begin without any condition,” he said.

Pimentel cited the case in the Middle East, wherein the Israelis and the Palestinians continue to seek for peace despite continued violence in the area.

“What is needed on both sides, which I think is indispensable, is sincerity. And sincerity is always subject to proof. So only time will show whether or not the MILF is sincere or the government is sincere. That is why they should accept the offer of ceasefire and work towards peace and specially by asking the Americans to come in as brokers for peace and not as warriors, he said.