MILF & President Noynoy Meeting

MILF Leader and Philippine President Noynoy Meeting At Japan

Photo Credit: gma.news.tv

MILF Meets With President Benigno Aquino III

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) had confirmed the abondenment of its decades quest for an independent state in Mindanao islands on his meeting in Japan with President Noynoy Aquino last Thursday, August 4, 2011, Marvic Leonen - the government’s chief negotiator with the rebel group said on a media interview.

Marvic Leonen said that the government showed sincerity and goodwill to the MILF groups. However, he streesed on the radio dzRB interview that being sincere isn't equalled to surrender. "To be sincere does not mean surrender," Leonen said.

The government's chief negotiator, Marvic Leonen said the meeting on Japan focused on achieving a "politically, economically and socially" win-win agreement.

"We want a nation but not separate from the republic. It must have power to govern but not above the power of the Philippine government," he said in statement released a day after the Japan meeting." Ghazali Jaafar, the MILF vice chairman said.

Jaafar statement shows that the MILF had scrapped their fight for an absolute independence from the Republic of the Philippines.

Here are some of the extracted statements of Ghazali Jaafar on an interview:

"We told the President that we want Bangsamoro state not like the ARMM which is inutile,".

"The peace process is now on the straight, sa matuwid na daan,"

"We presented to the President our position on the peace process," Jaafar said, referring to the meeting.

"We also presented our talking points to President Aquino and his party while his group also presented the government’s talking points,"

"All that was discussed was about the peace process, how to find solutions and how to develop Muslim Mindanao,"

MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal also said they would push for a "sub-state" instead of a total independent state from the Republic.

He said that the sub-state idea means, Mindanao Muslims would have the majority control over the islands' governance, except for national defense, foreign affairs, currency and coinage, as well as postal services.

Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel Roxas II, a close friend of Aquino’s said that the Japan meeting between MILF leaders and the Philippine government is the President's "personal effort" goaled at securing peace for Mindanao people.