PGMA's speech during the Mindanao Island Conference

Ballroom, Century Park Sheraton Hotel, Manila (18 July 2003)
Maraming salamat, Secretary Lina.

Secretary Boncodin, siyempre ang favorite Cabinet member ng lahat. Palagay ko napag-usapan mo na kung gaano kalaki ang budget ng Mindanao kaya hindi ko na 'yon sasabihin; Secretary Cito Lorenzo, Cabinet Member na taga-Mindanao at palagay ko kinuwento mo na rin 'yung iba't-ibang ating mga inisiyatibo sa mindanao sa agrikultura kaya hindi ko na rin ikukwento; Mayor Guico, salamat sa iyung pagbuo nitong pulungan na ito; Mayor Delgado, salamat sa iyung welcome remarks; Mayor Mayor; iba't-ibang mayor ng Mindanao; mga minamahal kong kababayan:

Maayong hapon kaninyong mga Cebuano dinhi. Maayong aga sa mga Ilonggo, mga halin sa Cotabato. Magandang umaga naman sa mga mayor na hindi Cebuano o Ilonggo. Assalamu Alaikum Waramatullahi Barakatu. May peace be with you all.

Natutuwa ako na ang mga punong-bayan ng Mindanao ay nandito, at natutuwa ako -- salamat, Monching -- na ito ang unang pinunong sa mga major regional conferences ng mayors na napagkasunduan natin idaraos noong huling Mayors' League Conference.

Talagang gusto kong mauna ang Mindanao mayors bilang patunay ng aking pagnanais na bigyan ng higit na pansin ang Mindanao upang matupad na nito ang pangakong kaunlaran at kapayapaan.

Let me take this opportunity once again to ask you to be with me in the principles that I believe must guide our search for peace.

One principle is that our ultimate objective should be both peace and development. A second principle is that our society is a multi-ethnic one which should be founded on social justice for all and the institutionalized accommodation of ethnic traditions. Christian and Muslim, Chinese and Spanish, Tagalog and Cebuano, these are but a few of the names to which the Filipino responds in a wondrous testimony to our rich and varied heritage as a nation.

Step by step, we are overcoming the obstacles to the resumption of peace talks with the MILF under conditions of stability on the ground.

Now, read my lips: today, the peace panels of our government and the MILF have agreed on a mutual cessation of hostilities. I am directing the armed forces to downgrade our operational status from punitive operations to active defense. This is in line with the policy of calibrated reciprocity that will continue to guide our actions in the peace process.

The warrants of arrest against the members and staff of the MILF panel have been suspended by the court. The Department of Interior and Local Government, Joey Lina, shall lift the corresponding rewards for the arrest or capture of the concerned persons. Safe conduct passes will be issued so that they can travel to the venue of the negotiations.

I call on the panels to immediately enter into formal peace talks toward a final peace agreement. I anticipate the development of a Malaysian ceasefire observer team soon. We are teaming up with our partners in the OIC to ensure the effectiveness and durability of this effort.

I thank Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir for his sincere and abiding support for our efforts. I also appreciate the role of President Bush for committing assistance to the rehabilitation of conflict-affected areas, which contributes greatly to the climate for peace to prosper.

This breakthrough is the result of the relentless back channelling efforts undertaken by government representatives over several months in the Philippines and abroad.

I ask our people to give peace a chance, even as we secure our absolute sovereignty and the enforcement of the law over all areas and at all times. As we address the roots of rebellion and secession, I'm confident that we shall also effectively isolate and marginalize the dwindling terrorist cells in Mindanao and across our seas in the region.
Peace is at hand. Peace is within grasp. We shall forge the political will to preserve it for all generations of Filipinos.

Operationally, this will hopefully limit the roaming ground of Al-Ghozi and his cohorts in Mindanao. We hold the MILF to its word that it will help in the interdiction of terrorists, I am looking forward to Al-Ghozi as a primary test case. The peace process has a large stake on this issue.

The PNP Chief will lead a task force exclusively for the Al-Ghozi manhunt, which will not stop until the terrorist leader is accounted for. We are not giving any false assurances to our people or to the international community, but we assure that the government will leave no stone unturned in the manhunt and in the investigation of the circumstances that led to the escape. Every piece of information and every small detail that comes up in the probe will be scrutinized. We will follow the leads both to Al-Ghozi and his cohorts and to possible collusion from within the police organization. We are not making excuses and we urge the people to act on the side of caution and vigilance. The threat of terrorism is ever present and must be met collectively.

We understand the position of other countries, and we ourselves are concerned over the safety of their nationals as well as that of our own. We have played a very strong role in the global fight against terrorism, and our capture of Al-Ghozi was part of that commitment. We are equally committed to bring him back to justice and to work with other nations to stop terrorism in whatever form and wherever it may be.

A third principle in our search for peace is that our framework should be based on constitutionality. This applies to our dealings with rebels, insurgents and secessionists. It also applies to our dealings with the uniformed services. I support any legitimate grievances of the young officers of the armed forces and I urge them to resolve these responsibly through the chain of command. The chief of staff is ordered to institutionalize a grievance mechanism for these matters, of which I want to be informed. We must strengthen a culture of disciplined transparency in the armed forces. This is the most effective way we can insulate the uniform from politics, avoid factionalism and promote professionalism.

To these three broad principles, peace and development together, a multi-ethnic society, constitutionality, I will add a fourth in our search for peace, there is no role for inhuman brutality.

Thus, I support the allocation of part of the Marcos funds for the compensation of human rights victims. We must lend recognition to the Filipino people's struggle for freedom, justice and redemption, and the individuals who sacrificed life and limb for this cause.

Napakarami ang mga nangyayari itong araw na ito. May mga tagumpay sa korte, may mga kabiguan sa enforcement. May magagandang balita tungkol sa pondo na dumarating lalo na sa mindanao at merong balita tungkol sa darating sana sa kapayapaan. At sana kayo mga taga-mindanao makabiyaya sa magagandang balita at sana tumulong upang mabaliktad 'yung mga balitang nakakabigo.

At sana naging matagumpay itong inyong komperensiya, itong komperensiya ng mga mayor ng Mindanao.

Mabuhi kitang tanan! Mabuhay tayong lahat!

Maraming salamat.

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