Iqbal: Should we scrap 17-year-old negotiations?
PART OF EVERYDAY LANDSCAPE Residents of Tukanalipao village in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, have become used to members of an Armed Forces of the Philippines security team in their daily activities during site inspections of the Philippine National Police board of inquiry. REM ZAMORA
COTABATO CITY, Philippines—“Seriously, can we allow letting go of the 17-year-old negotiations?” Mohagher Iqbal, chief peace negotiator of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), asked.
Iqbal was responding to a suggestion by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Thursday that the government and the MILF restart the peace negotiations to rid the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) of its “unconstitutional features.”
Santiago told reporters in Manila that as it is written, the BBL could be challenged in the Supreme Court immediately after clearing Congress and the high court may declare it unconstitutional.
“In fairness to the senator, she is a good lawyer. But let’s wait and see what the Supreme Court will say about the bill,” Iqbal said.
The MILF Central Committee remains optimistic the BBL will be passed without changes, Iqbal said.
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