We had a very interesting interview with Executive Secretary Paquito “Jojo” Ochoa today on the show of Ambassador Ernesto Macada on dzRJ 810 AM. Discussed primarily was the meeting between President Benigno Aquino III and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s Al Haj Murad.
This was a first and some have criticized that it may not have been the wisest of moves as it puts the MILF on the stature of a head of state and may be interpreted as recognizing the MILF as a belligerent state; as it prevents the President from weighing in on the recommendations of the government peace panel as the discussions are now directly with him; as other terrorist, secessionist and insurgent groups may not want the same treatment, as proven today by the demand of the National Democratic Front that the President meet with them as well.
But Ochoa was unfazed by the criticisms, saying that Aquino would be willing to meet with the NDF as well. “Well if it would help, why not?” Ochoa replied when asked about said demand.
Another interesting point is that Ochoa confirmed that the idea for personally meeting with the MILF was Aquino’s himself. “It was the president’s idea himself,” Ochoa said. “This concern is personal to him. One legacy he would like to leave behind is the achievement of peace in Mindanao….The president wanted to express to the other side his own convictions about attaining peace and a little about how he wants it achieved. He has his own formula as to how to achieve peace in Mindanao. “
Ochoa said that part of Aquino’s formula as to how to achieve peace in Mindanao is involving the MILF in economic reforms. Ochoa said that the reason why Budget Secretary Butch Abad and Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima were present is that they wanted to be able to prove to the MILF that the MILF’s concerns had already been incorporated in the Aquino administration’s plans for economic reform in Mindanao.
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