Gov’t peace adviser calls for calm, sobriety over Maguindanao clash

MANILA, Philippines –  Presidential adviser on peace process  Teresita Deles  on Monday called for sobriety pending investigation into  the recent clashes between government forces and the  Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)  in Maguindanao which resulted in the death of at least 34 people.

”We ask everyone to be calm,”  Deles told reporters after  attending a Senate hearing, adding ”accountabilities” would be exacted against those responsible for the firefights.

At least 30 members of the Philippine National Police Special Task Force and four members of the MILF have been reported killed in the clashes that occurred in Mamasapano in Maguindanao early Sunday.

“I think it’s clear that our ceasefire mechanisms, while they were not used to prevent the (firefights) problem, are certainly being used to resolve the problem, to bring it to a containment,” she said.

”Without  the  ceasefire mechanisms between the government and the MILF,”  Deles  said, ”the firefight  between  members of the PNP Special  Task Force and  the rebel group would have continued  up to now.”

“You can just  imagine that without the ceasefire mechanisms, something like this happening, that firelight would be continuing up to now. It would have spread and it’s because we have  a ceasefire mechanism in place that it was immediately contained…”  she said.

“We are of course in great sympathy with the families (of the fatalities) and certainly both sides will be studying this further to ensure how we can further tighten coordination and maybe this means  coordination not just between  the two parties but also within the parties to ensure that this will not happen again,” she added.

Deles also expressed  hope that the clash  would not affect the proposed Bangsamoro  Basic Law (BBL) pending in Congress.

“That’s why we call on our people, please wait. Let’s be sober  in this,” she said.

“Certainly the BBL should be bigger than this, the search for peace and justice, the  search for development, for a  lasting solution to this long troubled situation. This  should certainly be  bigger than this and that we are sure accountabilities are going to be exacted and that institutions, some of (the) mechanisms of which are already in  place, are even going to be strengthened,” Deles added.