PRIVILEGE SPEECH ON THE MALAYSIAN PULL OUT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL MONITORING TEAM
 
Rep. MUJIV S. HATAMAN
Anak Mindanao Party List
 
Distinguished members of this Honorable Chamber, guests, assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi taala wabarakatuh. peace and blessings be upon us all… most especially peace.
 
Yesterday, this representation filed a Resolution seeking the Sense of this Noble House on the pull out of the Malaysian contingent in the International Monitoring Team, which is providing support to the peace process between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

At nagpapasalamat po ako sa lahat ng mga Kasama na sumuporta at pumirma sa nasabing resolusyon. We were able to immediately gather 74 signatures.  
 
Mga kasama, gasgas na po kung sa gasgas ang panawagan para sa Kapayapaan sa Mindanao . Kung tayo nga pong mga Pilipino, kahit kaming mga Mindawon, ay nagsasawa na sa tila walang patutungahang usapan, hindi po natin masisi kung ang ibang bansa tulad ng Malaysia , na tumutulong lamang sa atin ay mawalan na rin ng pasensya at mag pasyang bawiin ang inalay na tulong.
 
Ngunit wala man sa ating kapangyarihan ang tumutol sa paglikas ng Malaysia, at wala rin sa ating mandato ang mang-usig sa kanilang desisyon, ang inyo pong lingkod, bilang Representante ng Anak Mindanao, ay nananawagan sa inyo, mga kasama sa Kapulungang ito, na makiisa sa aming panawagang ipagpatuloy ng Malaysia ang kanyang pakikilahok sa International Monitoring Team.
 
Perhaps this issue on the withdrawal of the Malaysian contingent from the IMT is of little significance compared to the gigantic problems of food shortage, the Myanmar tragedy, or the China Earthquake to which we all extend our sincerest sympathy.
 
However, it is always said that prevention is better than cure. If there is a way for us to prevent the impending tragedy that is bound to occur if the IMT loses its current standing with the pull out of Malaysia , let us do it now.
 
What is this impending tragedy?

Ladies and Gentlemen, since the formation of the International Monitoring Team, there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of clashes between the forces of the GRP and the MILF, from 698 in 2002 and 559 in 2003, to only 15 in 2004, 10 in 2005, 13 in 2006, 7 in 2007 and 1 in the first quarter of 2008, or a total of only 46 in four years.
 
Mga kasama, sa tuluyang pag-alis ng Malaysia sa IMT, hindi po malayong muli tayong babalik sa daan-daang sagupaan bawat taon na nagiging sanhi ng pwersahang paglikas ng libo-libong inosenteng sibilyan, kahirapan, at kamatayan.
 
Ayon po sa report ng Institute of Bangsamoro Studies, ito lamang pong pag alis ng unang dalawamput-isang (21) Malaysian peace monitors ay nagdulot na ng pagsasara ng Apat na Teams ng IMT, ang Team Sites ng Iligan City, Zamboanga City, General Santos City at Metro Davao. Ibig pong sabihin, wala nang peace monitors sa mga probinsiya ng Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, South Cotabato, Sarangani at Davao provinces.
 
This bleak picture however seems to be seeing light. In today's issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, it was reported that the Libyan Government, through the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation headed by the son of Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi, manifested its intention to assume the role played by Malaysia as head of the International Monitoring Team.

Though it is still premature to react since we still have to hear an Official Declaration from the Libyan Government, we do welcome this development and gratefully appreciate Libya's interest to help us in Mindanao. We do not doubt Libya's capacity to engage in the peace talks for Libya has played a major role in the Peace Process between the GRP and the Moro National Liberation Front which eventually led to the Final Peace Agreement in 1996.

However Ladies and Gentlemen, this does not answer the very heart of the issue. Malaysia, which has been in the forefront of the International monitoring Team from the very first day of its formation… which has been successful and effective in executing the mandate of the said monitoring team, is leaving.

The big question is WHY?
 
And unless this question is truthfully addressed and sincerely resolved, kahit pa mag sama-sama lahat ng bansang nais tumulong para sa kapayapaan sa Mindanao, paulit-ulit lamang pong mangyayari ang pagsukong tulad ginawa ng Malaysia ngayon. Ang magiging tanong na lamang ay kung alin ang mauunang maubos, ang mga bansang tutulong, o ang Mamamayang Moro ng Mindanao.

Wassalamu alaikum. Maramang Salamat po.