MindaNews » Abp Quevedo to GPH, MILF: peace possible without sacrificing RSD or nat’l sovereignty and territorial integrity.

By Carolyn O. Arguillas
April 3, 2012

COTABATO CITY– The peace process between government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) can succeed because the paramount concerns of both parties – territorial integrity and national sovereignty for the government and right to self-determination (RSD) for the MILF — are politically acceptable and the other issues are negotiable, Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo said.

Quevedo,  president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines during the  “all-out war” waged by the Estrada administration against the MILF in 2000 and the Buliok war waged by the Aquino administration in 2003, wrote on April 2 a seven-point “unsolicited advice” for the two panels to consider (see Quevedo letter),  as he expressed optimism “lasting peace can be achieved without sacrificing either RSD or national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Of Quevedo’s seven-points, one was addressed directly to government (GPH), two to the MILF,  three to both panels and one to the MILF and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

MindaNews emailed Quevedo’s piece to GPH peace panel chair Marvic Leonen and MILF peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal for comment but Leonen opted not to comment “for now.” Iqbal responded point by point.

Quevedo admitted reluctance in expressing his thoughts publicly on the peace process “until the news came that it might break down.”

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