In meeting with the MILF, Aquino shows yet again that why jihad groups commit acts of terror: they work. “President’s meet with MILF defended,” by Hannah L. Torregoza for the Manila Bulletin, August 8:
MANILA, Philippines “” Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile Monday defended President Benigno Aquino III from critics who bashed his “secret” meeting with leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Tokyo, Japan.
“Well, I think we better just give the President enough leeway and presume good faith for the country because this is a very sensitive matter. It involves the national interests of the country,” Enrile told reporters in an interview.
“I will not discuss the pros and cons of the meeting. If I were to be asked, I would leave it to his wise discretion,” Enrile said.
Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, however, expressed fears the government’s pact with the MILF might suffer the same fate of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) of Nur Misuari which disintegrated the moment the peace accord was finalized.
Escudero said only history can tell whether President Aquino was right in meeting with the MILF leaders while on the process of peace negotiations.
“Being a President he might have some confidential information which need not be shared to others. Only history will tell if he is right,” he said.
But the senator instead blamed officials of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) for not doing their jobs properly and for not shielding President Aquino from attacks.
Escudero said the President might have seen the peace process with the MILF is moving very slow and wanted to fast track it and opted to handle it himself….