MANILA, Philippines—Opposition senators Sunday called on the United States, Malaysia and other countries pushing for a peace pact creating an expanded Moro homeland to spell out their motives in endorsing the controversial memorandum of agreement (MOA).

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano also raised questions on why the Philippine government had “curiously” chosen to charge Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels who pillaged several towns in Lanao and North Cotabato as criminals rather than as terrorists.

“It would be naïve to think that there are no foreign interests at play in the signing of the MOA,” Cayetano said in an interview with dzBB radio.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. also expressed his concern over the perceived intervention by foreign interests in the proposed peace pact.

“I can only hope that Malaysia is a sincere broker for peace and has not trained its sights on the Liguasan Marsh (referring to the Moro stronghold in Mindanao). I also hope that the United States has no colonial interests in this part of the globe,” Pimentel said in a text message to the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net).

Former Senate President Frank Drilon, in a statement, cited pressure from the United States and China for the Philippine government’s decision to grant concessions to the MILF even if these were against the Constitution.

“We certainly don’t want to happen to Mindanao what happened to Kosovo,” said Drilon, who described the “unwarranted intervention” of some foreign countries as the “internationalization” of the Mindanao peace process.

The Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order on the Aug. 5 signing in Malaysia of the MOA, described by the government as a solution to the decades-long Moro conflict that has claimed 120,000 lives. Hearing is scheduled to resume for Aug. 26.

Drilon is one of those who joined a petition by Mindanao officials protesting the inclusion of areas under their jurisdiction in the proposed Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) that has all the attributes of the state. He said the deal was unconstitutional.

‘Talks to go on’

Malacañang Sunday stressed that it wanted to continue peace talks with the MILF but that this could only happen after the court had decided on the MOA.

“The talks are not suspended. We are just waiting for the high court ruling,” Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said. “Let it not be misunderstood that because of this fighting that we have stopped the peace process.”

The MILF has said that field commanders unhappy with the court’s intervention had gone on the warpath in Mindanao.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said criticism against the MOA was “premature.”

“Anything can still happen after a review,” Gonzalez said, dismissing charges that the MOA went against the Constitution.

Cayetano said Malaysia, which brokered the peace negotiations conducted in secrecy, was primarily concerned in defending its stake over Sabah which the Philippines, under then President Ferdinand Marcos, had sought to include in Philippine territory.

US endorsement

“Malaysia has pushed to develop its power in the last 30 years to protect Sabah. By endearing themselves to the MILF, the Malaysians are also protecting their interests in Sabah,” Cayetano said.

He questioned Washington’s endorsement of the MOA. He said US Ambassador Kristie Kenney was not only invited to the aborted signing in Kuala Lumpur but she also declared support for the MOA in spite of the public outcry against the deal.

“America is looking for a foothold in the Islamic world whether it is in the Middle East or other parts like Asia. If there will be BJE, it means the US will not pass through the central government and they don’t have to deal with NGOs, activists against nuclear arms and other restrictions in the Constitution. They can also give foreign aid directly to the BJE,” he said.

Cayetano said other foreign entities, such as China and the Arab world, were looking at the BJE and its impact on the balance of power in this side of the world.

This is why, he said, it was important for all the interested foreign parties to declare their view of the MILF—whether they consider them as a freedom fighter or terrorist organization because by their answer, “we will have a grasp of their agenda.”

Terrorist tag

If the MILF is considered a terrorist organization like the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army, Cayetano said the government would have more tools to stamp out the Moro rebels.

He mentioned legal wiretapping and monitoring of bank accounts to determine whether foreign aid was being used to bankroll MILF operations.

Cayetano said that the murder charges filed against the MILF rogue elements would likely be dropped because the court would declare them as politically motivated crimes.

Had they been charged with violations of the Anti-Terror law, Cayetano said all of the MILF would have been hunted by the military.

Drilon expressed alarm over MILF chair Ibrahim Murad’s direct appeal to the Malaysian government to revive the Mindanao peace and urge the military to stop hunting down rogue MILF elements that attacked Lanao and North Cotabato.

“I hope Malacañang will find the moral courage to send a diplomatic note to Malaysia, saying in no uncertain terms that that the Philippine government will implement its laws against criminals who attack and murder unarmed civilians,” Drilon said. With reports from Christine O. Avendaño and Leila B. Salaverria