Gov’t draft of pact seen submitted in August yet

OZAMIZ CITY—The government negotiating panel,  in talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), has asked to be given until August to submit its version of a political settlement with Moro rebels.

A news release from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process  did not say why the government panel deferred the submission of its proposal, which had been expected.

During the panels’ exploratory talks in April, chief government negotiator Marvic Leonen committed to formulating the document in time for the panels’ June meeting.

Because of the deferment, what could have been a full panel meeting was downgraded into an executive session.

The government panel earlier requested an executive session be held,  instead of a full-panel meeting,  because it wasn’t read to submit a peace pact.

An MILF  news release quoted the government panel as saying it has yet to finalize the draft “in the light of developing situations in the peace process which the government wants factored into the counter-proposal.”

The MILF submitted a draft peace pact to government negotiators in February. One of its main proposals was the creation of a Bangsamoro sub-state.