Absence of MILF official in House probe irks solons

At least two solons in the House of Representatives, one very critical of the Bangsamoro basic bill, criticized the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for snubbing the probe on the Mamasapano debacle on Tuesday.

MILF peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal was absent on the second day of the House investigation, which resumed after being suspended for almost two months pending results of official investigations.

Zamboanga City Rep. Celso Lobregat said the MILF was disrespecting the lower chamber even when the group was pushing for the passage of the Bangsamoro basic bill, which sought to implement a government peace deal with the MILF to create a more politically autonomous Bangsamoro entity.

“We are not just unhappy. We are very displeased. We want to come up with a committee report and they should not be questioning it because they refuse to be present,” Lobregat said.

“They are not pushing for their agenda to pass the Bangsamoro bill. By not being present, they are showing a very antagonistic stand to the House of Representatives,” added the lawmaker who was critical of the unconstitutional provisions of the proposed law.

Pangasinan Rep. Kimi Cojuangco also expressed disappointment, saying the MILF’s absence was a disrespect to the House as an institution.

Cojuangco said Iqbal was reportedly in a press conference with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.

“I don’t understand, is that more important than being here? At least have some respect,” Cojuangco said.

Solons are outraged over the involvement of the MILF in the attack on the Special Action Force (SAF) commandos in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao, in a mission to hunt international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan.

The mission was botched due to lack of coordination and resulted in the deaths of 44 SAF commandos, 18 MILF fighters and five civilians in a 12-hour gunbattle.

The involvement of the MILF rocked the passage of the Bangsamoro bill, the benefactor of which is the MILF, in the lower chamber which started to doubt the MILF’s sincerity for peace.

Today’s hearing, attended by family members of the slain SAF commandos, was noticeable more orderly compared to the first hearing on Feb. 11 described as frenzied and circus-like with emotional lawmakers upstaging each other. RC