UPDATED ON:
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
12:16 Mecca time, 09:16 GMT
News Asia-Pacific
Philippines autonomy deal 'illegal'
Mindanao island has suffered more than three decades of conflict [EPA]

The Philippine supreme court has ruled that a deal giving Muslim separatists control over about 700 towns and villages on the southern Mindanao island was illegal.

The government had already effectively shelved the deal after the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) had reacted to an earlier court injunction by launching a series of attacks.

The raids on dozens of town and villages left at least 37 people dead.

Gleo Guerra, a spokewoman for the Philippines supreme court, said on Tuesday that eight of 15 justices had voted to declare the deal unconstitutional.

The Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain was to have paved the way for a final political settlement with the MILF, which has been fighting for autonomy in the south of the country since 1978.

But the court had blocked the signing of the deal on August 4 after Christian politicians claimed it violated the constitution and would lead to the country being split. 

Gloria Arroyo, the president, has sent additional troops to Mindanao and said peace talks will resume only if the separatists disarm and the leaders responsible for the renewed attacks surrender.

 Source: Agencies
 
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Feedback Number of comments : 15
 
Barrington
United Kingdom
14/10/2008
Philippines autonomy illegal
This only shows the insincerity of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines to find a peaceful solution in Southern Philippines. I have been in Mindanao and I see Muslims are very deprived of all government subsidies and developments. Very far compare to christian areas. They didn't even consider the lives of people affected by war, bloods of people spilled amid of the global crisis...

Xiang
China
14/10/2008
Philippine autonomy deal illegal
Ever since i read about this country, all I can read about is sure negatives, its President apologize to public for cheating on the election yet she didn't resign (Shame on you Madaam President), government soldiers twice revolted in its prestigious hotels, Generals are making war in Mindanao their business(poor soldiers on the field), government officials are very corrupt. Yet, this is the next thing i can read, declaring its peace deal illegal. this is why dis country never improved...

Christeen
Philippines
14/10/2008
Philippine autonomy deal illegal
I am afraid that war will escalate in Mindanao. Expect the worst. What kind of a decision you have made Philippine Justices? There is no wrong with the Memorandum of Agreement. Are you happy seeing our Soldiers die? Innocent Civilians and Children die? Our Economy die? There is that chance Peaceful Solution in Mindanao is moving, yet you crashed it.You only consider those corrupt & land grabber christian politicians there. What kind of human are you! You Justices are like BEASTS with NO HEARTS!

sam mindanao
Qatar
14/10/2008
Philippines autonomy deal illegal
Why don't Muslim Governments do something like sending Philippine Expat working in the Gulf home. Look at the uproar the Christians made when 12 Christian were killed in Iraq this week. Sending Philippines Expat home is the best way to send a strong message to the Gloria Ayoro and the Court that declare the deal with Muslim in Mindanao illegal. 8 Million Philippine Expats mostly in Gulf area, send 50 Billion US$ home every year. They cannot afford to lose this source of revenue.

roger
Philippines
15/10/2008
Philippine autonomy deal illegal
What a bad decision! Such decision solves nothing, why close an opportunity for peace? With this kind of decision it manifest that the entire Philippine government is already bankrupt in terms of credibility and social status.

maria lourdes
Philippines
15/10/2008
Phil. autonomy deal illegal
I am so ashamed to be a Filipino. This kind of decision by our Supreme Court only shows how my country is insincere in solving the long problem of Mindanao.I did not expect that the justices of our Supreme Court also have no political will in peacefully solving the problem in Mindanao.The government should be blamed if war continues here.I appreciate the sincerity of the MILF in the peace process. They are really true leaders of their own people.The Bangsamoro really deserves independence.

Islamoblogger
Canada
15/10/2008
Philippines autonomy deal illegal
I don't know much about the Philippines, but I do know that there's nothing wrong with granting autonomy, or semi-autonomy, to a group of people who are underrepresented in your government and greater society. It's obviously better than the alternative (violence).

Bigmel1981
Malaysia
14/10/2008
Philippines autonomy deal illegal
Gloria Arroyo does not know how to approach this situation. She makes it worse.

Claude
France
14/10/2008
Philippine autonomy deal illegal
What kind of a government Philippines had?! Are the justices and government officials not using their minds? Look at Afghanistan and Iraq? This is a good example of a nation engaging to war...This caused the downfall of wall street, the United States, the so called most powerful country in the world. Yet, the Philippine Government disband the only Peaceful Solution in the Problem in Mindanao. You want WAR??? What a crazy decision. Philippines is nothing but a corrupt and poor nation

Andrea
United States
14/10/2008
Philippines autonomy illegal
Of course, all deal on rebels are not constitutional.That's why they have been called rebels,because they do not want to be bound to the current government constitution and that is why a government is dealing with them peacefully.Justices of Philippines? Where did you put your minds? I mean...where did you spent the bribed money?Bribery in this country is very rampant that even court justices had been affected by bribery. The latest is the 10million given by a company to one of these justices!

seph
Philippines
14/10/2008
they dont get it....
We, Moros, have the total rights for these lands. This kind of acts just worsen the peace process. They let us, Moros, to think that there's no chance at all to claim our rights through a peaceful process and leave us with the violent process. But still, I believe that there's a little chance in peaceful process. If this autonomy deal is illegal, then the government must shift to Federal type from being unitary type. I guess that's the best solution that government can have.

keboiwa
United Kingdom
15/10/2008
Philippines autonomy deal illegal
Autonomy deal for the people of south Philippines is the only way out for the gov and the muslim Mindanao. This kind of deal should be persue by the Thai gov for the south of Thailand muslim as well. Both Thai and Philippines gov should take Aceh and Indonesian gov peace deal as a model to solve the conflict.

Mcloid34
United States
15/10/2008
Phillipines autonomy deal illegal
I am so shocked to know that politicians who oppose the autonomy deal are very happy with the Phil. Supreme Court's decision. What does that decision solve? It only makes the problem worst. What kind of government and politicians does the Phil. have? I really pity them, how could they be proud when the whole world see their insincerity in the peace process. The entire Phil. government already lost its credibilty.

Skysoldier Recon
Philippines
18/10/2008
Mindinao, Moros, Abu Sayyeff
I am sitting here at an airport in Mindinao, where Filipino troops are trained and operations planned. The moslems want ALL of Mindinao, and thats not gonna happen. Credit US SF for training the now elite Phillipine Marines, who decimated the Abu Sayyeff, and stopped the wave of terror. The moslems are not ones to ASSIMILATE, thier aim is to DOMINATE. Be careful Filipinos, you may be letting a snake loose by supporting the moslems.

Jun Paolo
Philippines
22/10/2008
Philippines
To skysoldier recon... it seems that you do not know the history of Mindanao. That place originally belonged to the Muslims. Christians settlers are the ones who dominate these people for a long time. Filipinos committed a lot of Injustices to them. If you are proud because our soldiers have been trained to kill our Muslim brothers, well, I am ashamed of them including you. You have shown your arrogance and ignorance.

 
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