GPH panel concludes 2nd leg of LGU consultations in Mindanao

By OPPAP Media Bureau

Zamboanga City, May 19 – The Government of the Philippines (GPH) negotiating panel on Wednesday ended their second leg of local government unit (LGU) consultations in Mindanao with local officials of Sulu regarding the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Panel chair Marvic Leonen, panel members Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, Senen Bacani, and panel consultant Hamid Barra dialogued with 20 local chief executives of Sulu gathered at the Lantaka Hotel in this district. Also present was Sulu Vice Governor Benjamin T. Loong.

The series of LGU consultations aims to know the sentiments of the local officials on the GPH-MILF peace talks as part of President Benigno Aquino III’s directive of exercising transparency and inclusivity in the peace process.

“We touch base with LGU officials. We are here to listen to your ideas to work on this,” Leonen told the city and municipal mayors, vice mayors, representatives of two Sulu congressmen, board members and councilors who attended the dialogue.

Sulu Governor Abdusakur M. Tan, in his opening remarks delivered in his behalf by Sulu Provincial Board Member Alkramer R. Izquierdo, said that the consultations intend to help resolve the decades-old armed conflict and bring lasting peace in Mindanao. “People share this advocacy. We all share this human ideal,” he added. “We are here as peacemakers and as partners of development.”

On Tuesday, the GPH panel paid a courtesy call to Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat, Vice-Mayor Cesar Iturralde, and eleven city councilors at the City Hall.

They likewise met with 19 Muslim religious scholars of the Basilan Ulamas Supreme Council and other ulamas of Zamboanga to solicit their views and concerns on the GPH-MILF peace process.

So far, the panel has conducted a total of 28 consultations with different sectors in Mindanao.

They are set to consult more LGUs and other groups in the coming weeks.