I was wrong in my impression that the Office of Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) is administering the fund for the Peace Process Activities (PPA) such as Peace Talks. I was informed recently that the participant peace-keepers of the MNLF (Negotiators, Advocates, Leaders, and Commanders) are using their PERSONAL MONEY to attend Peace Process Activities with the GPH. The OPAPP has P250Million Fund each year from the taxes of our people, but instead on spending it to sustain the participants of the PPA, they are using the fund to DSWD/NHA-like give-away operation to the Barangays which they call PAMANA Project. I will advice the MNLF to stop attending PPA until the GPH allocates a fund to sustain the peace-keepers of the MNLF.
Dito sa PAMANA napupunta ang huge chunk ng OPAPP annual budget na P250M, eto ay mga subsidized Affordable Housing Project na dapat trabaho eto ng National Housing Authority. Kaya napabayaan ng GPH ang PPA dahil sa mga project na eto na hindi naka-align sa PPA. Suma-total, walang budget for PPA, naalala nyo yung MNLF-GPH Peace Talk sa Tagaytay, kapranggot na pansit lang na walang sahog pina-kain sa inyo for lunch ng OPAPP, wala pang subsidy ng transpo and accommodation ang mga MNLF Leaders from Mindanao na dumalo. Ang MNLF ay hindi dapat gumamit ng personal money para mag-attend ng PPA, pobre na nga tayo eh we are subsidizing pa GPH obligations to implement PPA.
Ang Peace Process, initiative yan ng GPH, programa yan ng GPH na pinagmamayabang nila ang accomplishment sa buong mundo, si GPH may gusto nyan, si GPH dapat popondo nyan sa lahat na mga leaders ng MNLF na may karapatan maki-alam at mag attend ng mga PPA. Noong 1994, kasama sa Ceasefire Agreement na hindi na kailangan mangolekta ng donation ang MNLF sa grounds, iyan ay dahil PEOPLES TAXES na ang bahala sa mga gastusin sa entire PPA. Ang nangyari, na BUKULAN ang MNLF, sinolo ni GPH ang pondo para sa PPA, or ginagastos para sa ibang bagay na walang kinalaman sa PPA. Hehehe 35 years na NAPAKALAKING ANOMALY, kaya pala hindi tinatapos ni GPH ang Peace Talk kasi may na-gagatas sila habang tumatagal.
With this anomaly, I will discourage the MNLF to attend all of these PPA activities:
(1) Collection of sentiments from members that is related to Peace Process,
(2) Internal organizational status update briefings about the progress of Peace Process,
(3) Internal deliberations and consensus conferences on Peace Process issues that need to be resolved,
(4) Communication and advocacy gatherings that will promote confidence-building in the Peace Process,
(5) Public expositions and consultations that will encorage democratic participation in Peace Process, and
(6) Dialogues in the formal negotiating table that will put flesh on the legal framework of Peace Process.
The MNLF should stop wasting their PERSONAL MONEY in attending PPA organized by the GPH or whatever mediator organization who have good diplomatic relations with the GPH, whether that be a formal negotiation, public consultation, or even a round-table discussion. The GPH is using those activities as a reason to get funds from the people's taxes, but they are not spending the taxes for such purpose, and instead, they use the funds to finance private businesses of their friends who are not in any way connected with the PPA. We are talking about P255Million OPAPP fund here from taxpayers that are not spend for the PPA.
We shall not allow ourselves to be USED. We will not tolerate systematic CORRUPTION. I will advise the MNLF to spend their resources, instead of paying for airfares to attend PPA, it is best that they rather spend it for food on the table of their own family, and in sharing a little for our brothers and sisters who need charity.
Read the proposal to solve this problem at: The Proper Way of Peace Process Activities.
JOHN PETALCORIN
Director for Advocacy, MNLF
