Cayetano dares MILF to show sincerity by surrendering criminals

Senate Majority Floor Leader Alan Peter Cayetano. Photo courtesy of Cayetano’s Facebook page.

MANILA  – Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday challenged the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to show sincerity in achieving peace in Mindanao by surrendering the criminals, including those who killed 49 members of the Special Action Forces of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

”The MILF should show their sincerity. Clean their own ranks. Bring out the criminals. Bring out the terrorists and those who killed the policemen,” Cayetano said in a media interview.

Cayetano was one of the senators who withdrew co-authorship on the proposed Senate Bill 2408 or Bangsamoro Basic Law following a bloody encounter between a group of the MILF and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the PNP SAF members in Maguindanao last Sunday.

The PNP elite forces were out to arrest international terrorists Zulkilfi bin Hir alias Marwan, a Malaysian bomb expert, and Abdul Basic Usman, a suspected bomb expert, when they encountered the MILF and BIFF in Mamasapano town.

”They (SAF) entered the area in pursuit of the suspected international experts. They were murdered. So, I don’t see logic why we should continue the BBL. Peace agreement is for development of both side. Both side should have no violence,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano stressed that the MILF should show that they want justice for the policemen.

”Unless the MILF shows that they are negotiating in good faith, why should we will continue the negotiation? Do they want more power to have peace or they want peace just to get more power?,” Cayetano asked.

”I actively challenge the MILF to see if they really want peace or not and right now, I don’t see that they are looking for peace,” he added.

Cayetano also said he has not seen remorse from the MILF leaders who instead blamed the PNP SAF for lack of coordination with the MILF.

”I have not heard from them (MILF) that they are very sorry to what happened, that they will pursue justice by capturing the criminals. Remember that they are elite forces and it is confirmed that they are running after the terrorists,” he explained.

Aside from Cayetano, Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito also withdrew his co-authorship while Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., chairman of the Senate committee on local government, decided to suspend temporarily the BBL public hearings in Mindanao due to the unfortunate killing of 49 policemen.

Other co-authors of the BBL include Senate President Franklin Drilon and Senators Vicente Sotto, Loren Legarda, Nancy Binay, Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Teofisto Guingona III, Gregorio Honasan II, Ralph Recto, Juan Edgardo Angara, and Pia Cayetano.