MILF backs ‘RoSa’ tandem

MANILA, Philippines — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has committed to support the vice presidential bid of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, according to MILF chairman Ahod Balawag “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim.

Speaking with “The Chiefs” aired over Cignal TV’s One News last Monday night, Ebrahim noted that the MILF and its United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) have only endorsed so far the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo.

“Our endorsement is mainly for Vice President Leni Robredo. On her lineup, we will choose who we will endorse, although we have made commitment also to President Duterte that we will also support the candidacy of his daughter, Sara Duterte,” Ebrahim said in English and Filipino.

“We may also endorse (Carpio). We will see what her views will be … if she would want us to endorse her, maybe we are willing to endorse her also,” he added.

Last Saturday, Ebrahim, who is also the interim Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), led party officials and candidates in formally announcing their support for Robredo.

Ebrahim said they initially committed to support the candidate who will be endorsed bay Duterte, but they decided to open their doors to those who wanted to present their platforms when it became clear that Duterte would not endorse a successor.

Asked why they decided to back Robredo, Ebrahim cited her plans for the Bangsamoro, particularly her commitment to the peace process and full implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro signed in 2014 and the Bangsamoro Organic Law passed in 2018.

The MILF leader cited Robredo’s declaration that included the rehabilitation of poverty-stricken communities and the vulnerable sectors, including those affected by the Marawi siege.

Ebrahim said they have also looked at the platforms of other candidates, including frontrunner Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“We have not seen the peace process in his platforms,” Ebrahim said in Filipino, adding that many of the struggles faced by the Bangsamoro happened during the Marcos dictatorship.

While he recognized that local leaders are divided between Robredo and Marcos in many BARMM provinces, Ebrahim said their party and former MILF members would back the Vice President.

“As far as the MILF is concerned, we are solid… Whoever the leadership (endorses), the MILF will vote for that person,” he said.

“The election this year is very historic (for) the MILF… This is the first time that we will participate in the democratic process. From the armed struggle that we have waged for more than 40 years, now, we decided to join the democratic process and peaceful advocacy,” he added.

Youth vote

Robredo has expressed confidence she will get the support of young voters on Election Day, as she thanked her supporters for helping her debunk fake news and disinformation through house-to-house campaigns.

The last two weeks are the most crucial time in the campaign, according to the Vice President.

“We are in the last two weeks – it’s like the last two minutes of basketball, isn’t it?” she told thousands of supporters in Filipino during the “Anehan Na Naman!: Nueva Ecija Miting de Avance” last Monday.

“I am excited to see how the youth will fight for our country,” she added.

In her speech, Robredo recalled how the youth sparked the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution that toppled the Marcos dictatorship.

She said she and her running mate Sen. Francis Pangilinan were both in college then.

“In 1986, the youth started the revolution. Today, it is the youth who will start the change,” the Vice President said.

Robredo, however, reminded Filipinos that they do not need a revolution for change.

“We only need to use our vote wisely and correctly,” she said.

The Vice President’s return to vote-rich Nueva Ecija marked the start of the campaign’s penultimate week.

With 14 days remaining before the May 9 elections, she thanked supporters who are helping debunk all the disinformation and fake news that have been thrown at her in the last six years.

“Do you know why it is important to work hard on house-to-house campaigns? Because these give us the opportunity to talk to the people – person to person, heart to heart. That’s our chance to replace all the lies with the truth,” she said.

“I’m confident because I know that money and machinery are nothing when the people are united. So, let’s fight for the last two weeks, let’s win this,” she added.

Nueva Ecija prelates

Meanwhile, at least 61 Catholic priests of the Diocese of Cabanatuan and Diocese of San Jose in Nueva Ecija have expressed their support for Robredo and Pangilinan.

In a joint statement, the dioceses said 41 priests of the Diocese of Cabanatuan and 20 priests of the Diocese of San Jose have expressed their support for the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem, which came out after their prayers and scrutiny of the candidates.

The priests said they are offering themselves to continue praying for clean, honest and credible May 9 national and local elections as they believe there is still hope for the Philippines under the Robredo-Pangilinan leadership.

They added that they also believe the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem will bring the Philippines to a better position and will bring solutions to the crisis that the country is facing.

Formal complaints

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has urged Robredo’s camp in Negros Occidental to file formal complaints against those who harassed and threatened them.

Comelec provincial election supervisor Roberto Salazar disclosed that his office is ready anytime to receive their formal complaints.

Former Gov. Rafael Coscolluela, who chairs Robredo’s People’s Council in Negros Occidental, had earlier revealed that their volunteers got threats and were barred from campaigning or bringing in campaigners in one of the towns in the fourth district of province.

Coscolluela also aired his concerns on the dirty tactics employed by Marcos’ followers, an accusation vehemently debunked by former Murcia Mayor Esteban Coscolluela, the spokesman of the BBM-Sara UniTeam tandem in Negros Occidental.

“When you alleged that you are being threatened and intimidated, you must prove it,” Salazar said.

“It’s like vote-buying that you need to prove to the commission about an illegal act,” he added.

Salazar stressed that grave coercion is an election offense, punishable under the Omnibus Election Law. – Helen Flores, Robertzon Ramirez, Gilbert Bayoran