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Puno changes tune on MILF's role for Sinnott

by Karen Reyes-Caringal, ANC | 11/10/2009 11:55 PM

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MANILA - Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno on Tuesday said he now welcomes the assistance of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in securing the release of kidnapped Irish priest Michael Sinnott.

"Hindi naman natin pinagbawalan 'yan. Ang pinagbawalan ko ay iyong pasok ng puwersa, 200 tao, doon sa Dimaporo, kalagitnaan ng Lanao del Sur at Lanao del Norte. Tingin ko di na kailangan iyon. (We did not prohibit that. What I prohibited was the entry of 200 forces in Dimaporo, in the middle of Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte. I don't think we need that.)," Puno told ANC's Top Story on Tuesday.

Puno had repeatedly accused “rogue” MILF members of abducting Sinnott last month.

The MILF, in turn, had repeatedly denied any involvement in the kidnapping.

"In recognition of what I hope is a sincere effort, I have toned down my statement on the matter. We'll wait and see what they will do with this issue," Puno also said.

The Department of Interior and Local Government chief though is firm against allowing armed MILF members to enter into negotiations.

"I don't believe they need a security force to talk to their own people. Bakit kailangang isang kompanya na armado para kausapin ang kanilang kasama? There is absolutely no way we will allow them to bring armed people in the area. (Why would they need armed men to talk to their own members?)," Puno added.

Puno also conceded that Sinnott's safe release would go a long way in helping boost the stalled peace process between government and the MILF.

"The conduct of a completed peace agreement will benefit everyone. That's something they will focus on," Puno said.

Peace talks between the Philippine government and MILF have been stalled since the aborted signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) last year.