MILF won’t endorse any candidate in 2016 polls

MORO Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal on Wednesday said the Muslim group will not support any candidate in the 2016 elections.

Despite going mainstream after signing a peace deal with the government, Iqbal, who chairs the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, said it is not for the Moro rebels group to participate in the electoral arena.

“The MILF as a revolutionary organization will not endorse any candidate. We’re not participating in the elections,” Iqbal said.

Iqbal said the MILF’s regional political party the United Bangsamoro Justice Party would be the one to participate in the polls if the Commission on Elections approves its accreditation.

He said the political party is still filling up its slate of candidates.

“Hindi natin linya ang elections. Hindi pa tapos ang laban,” Iqbal said.

Asked if the MILF supports “daang matuwid” or the straight reform agenda of the Liberal Party (LP), Iqbal said the pursuit of peace through the BBL is essentially the path of good governance espoused by the administration.

He said however that he does not want to attribute the straight reform agenda to any specific party or person.

“The Tuwid na Daan is a message more than a principle. Whoever practices the Tuwid na Daan, we’ll support that… I do not want to be specific,” Iqbal said.

The passage of the BBL, which seeks to create a more politically autonomous Bangsamoro region, was stalled after the Congress’ support waned following the Jan. 25 Mamasapano incident, when 67 persons, including the MILF fighters and the Special Action Force, were killed in an encounter that resulted from a botched antiterror raid.