According to Teresita Quintos-Deles, Pnoy and Al Haj Murad discussed ways to push the peace process forward. Quintos-Deles is the presidential peace adviser who was also with Pnoy in Tokyo. Marvic Leonen, the head of the government peace panel,who was also in Tokyo, said Mr. Aquino and Murad agreed to “fast-track” the negotiations and that the implementation of any agreement has to happen during the term of Mr. Aquino, who has made the resolution of the Muslim and communist insurgencies a high priority of his administration.“The meeting was cordial but consisted of a frank and candid exchange of their views about the frames of the continuing peace talks and some possible approaches that the parties can take to bring about a peaceful settlement,” Leonen said in a press conference right after they arrived from Japan. Leonen also stressed out that there is no secret deal discussed. “They are no longer a secessionist group because their proposal does not include independence anymore. They are not asking to be a separate state. And therefore the implications that you are probably imagining, pardon me, are no longer there,” Leonen said.
“The MILF has met with businessmen in Makati and civil society and they say that their agenda is no longer to separate from the Republic of the Philippines. Their proposal is that they be considered Filipino citizens but with Bangsamoro national identity,” he said.
The said meeting has drawn positive and negative reactions from different groups. Some like it and some did not. The best thing that the Filipino should do is wait for the surprise result of this confidential meeting.
