By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 06:25pm (Mla time) 12/26/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- The government is determined to save negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which had been stalled by the issue on ancestral domain, a senior Malacañang official said Wednesday.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the government peace panel would present a new draft proposal to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the National Security Council Cabinet cluster meeting Thursday at 10 a.m.

During exploratory talks in Malaysia two weeks ago, the Muslim separatist group rejected the draft memorandum of agreement by the government, which said that the determination of the territories would have to go through the constitutional process.

Despite this, Ermita said the government continued to be upbeat about the peace process.

Ermita also said the option to convert the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao into a federal state might be included in the agenda for the next exploratory talks with the MILF.

Ermita said recent statements from the MILF appealing to Filipinos to support amending the 1987 Constitution to pave the way for a shift to a federal system would be taken into consideration by the government panel hammering out the new agreement on territory.

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