LAWMAKERS, including the chairman of the House Committee on National Defense,  yesterday strongly urged President Benigno Aquino III to suspend immediately the peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front until the perpetrators of the massacre of 19 soldiers in Al-Barka, Basilan are surrendered by the MILF to face justice.

Muntinlupa City Rep. Rodolfo Biazon, chairman of the panel and former Armed Forces chief, said leaders of the MILF should turn over their people to proper authorities if they really want to talk peace.

“Suspend the peace talks immediately,” an angry Biazon stressed.

“Kailangang papanagutin muna ang mga nasa likod ng pagkamatay ng mga sundalo natin bago ang peace talks.”

Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop, a former police deputy director for comptrollership during the time of Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson as director general of the Philippine National Police, agreed with Biazon, saying nothing good will happen from the peace talks if the delivery of swift justice for the victims will be ignored.

“Ang gobyerno ay sumusunod sa mga agreement pero ang MILF hindi. I-assess muna ang sitwasyon bago ituloy ang peace talks,” said Acop.

But Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong warned that chaos and breakdown of peace and order may result should the government suspend the peace talks with the MILF.

“Two sides should meet to work out arrangement to avoid another Basilan incident,” Datumanong proposed.

House Deputy Speaker and Zamboanga City Rep. Maria Isabelle Climaco said the government should apprehend the perpetrators of the killings with dispatch.

“The military and PNP should continue with law enforcement mission. Heinous crime is not justifiable under rebellion. Cases should be filed in court,” Climaco said.      

It would be better for the government to cancel the peace talks with the MILF if the peace process remains to be a “one-way” traffic – with the secessionist group directing the course of the negotiation, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said. 

“What peace talks are we talking about when they are engaging us in combat? There is a ceasefire but they are engaging us in combat. What peace process are you talking about?” Enrile stressed.

Enrile and Sen. Francis Escudero also deplored the remarks of Secretary Teresita “Ding” Deles, presidential adviser on the peace process, and chief government peace negotiator Marvic Leonen that the encounter was merely an “isolated incident.”

Enrile also said the government must call off the peace talks with the MILF if it fails to surrender the alleged killers of the troopers who were reportedly led by a renegade MILF leader.

“They better break it up and conduct an operation unless the MILF will surrender those people who committed that. This is the duty of the MILF to run after these renegade members of the MILF if they are really sincere with the republic,” he said.

“I don’t agree with the nonchalant manner our own negotiators dismissed the incident as simply ‘isolated.’ Nineteen of our soldiers were killed. That’s 19 widows and countless children who will grow up without their fathers who were out there to serve the country and our people,” Escudero said.

He added: “At the very least,  government negotiators should come out strongly against these killings. It is imperative for our negotiators to pursue efforts to finally find peace in Mindanao. But they should also give equal importance to the lost lives of our soldiers who were vital instruments in protecting our people from rogue elements.”

“Gobyerno na ang kumilos. Ano ba ‘yan? One-way traffic ‘yang peace process na ‘yan Hindi p’wede ‘yun eh. Are we willing to be fooled by these people and sacrifice the lives of our soldiers,” Enrile said.