Tokyo meeting shows Aquino gov’t serious in solving Moro problem

KORONADAL CITY, Philippines—Thursday night’s meeting between President Benigno Aquino and Moro leader Murad Ebrahim in a hotel near the Narita Airport in Japan brought more hope about the success of the peace talks, a senior Moro rebel leader said Friday.

“The government is serious in looking for genuine solution to the problem,” Ghadzali Jaafar, political affairs chief of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, said by phone.

Jaafar said that while he has not been furnished with all the details of the meeting that lasted nearly two hours, he was informed it was about the government’s resolve to address the decades-old conflict in Mindanao.

“Both leaders talked about the Bangsamoro problem as well as possible solutions to the problem,” Jaafar said.

He said the meeting between the President and Murad became possible when Malaysia brokered it.

He said that in late July, members of the government and MILF panels discussed the meeting instead of the government peace draft, and agreed to hold the meeting in  Japan.

Japan is a member of the International Contact Group (ICG) that monitors the peace process between the government and the MILF.

“It was arranged by the Malaysian government, the third party facilitator in the ongoing peace talks,” Jaafar said.

He described the meeting, attended by MILF peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal, some members of the MILF central committee, and the government panel led by Professor Marvic Leonen, as “fruitful” with both leaders shaking hands at the end of it.

“It’s a fruitful meeting,” Jaafar said.

In an interview aired over Bombo Radyo here, Leonen said Aquino and Murad agreed to move forward with the peace talks during the closed-door meeting.

“Both agreed that the implementation of any agreement should happen within the current administration. Both agreed to fast-track the negotiations,” Leonen said.