CEASEFIRE WILL ENHANCE SECURITY FOR PALARO – PIMENTEL
Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. (PDP-Laban) today urged the government to forge a ceasefire with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) before proceeding with Palarong Pambansa in Tubod, Lanao del Norte.
Pimentel made the proposal following the decision of the organizers of Palaro, with Malacañang’s blessing, to postpone the national games from May 4-11 to May 18-25.
“A ceasefire between the government and MILF will relieve everyone of the lingering fear that the separatist rebels may disrupt the Palaro. It will enhance the success of the athletic event,” he said.
The senator from Mindanao said the restoration of the ceasefire agreement, forged by the government in Tripoli, Libya in 2001, should be worked out by both sides when they hold another exploratory
talk in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia scheduled in the second week of May.
Unless the truce is forged, Pimentel said he is afraid that the Palaro may be imperiled which may force organizers to look for another venue or hosting province where the games will be free of security problems.
“I think the holding of Palaro in Tubod, Lanao del Norte may be too risky because of the MILF rebels operating in nearby areas. I am familiar with the place. I do not want our young athletes to go there and participate in the games only to see something untoward happening to them,” he said.
Earlier, the MILF, through vice-chairman for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar, assured that the rebel groups would not disrupt the Palaro.
But Pimentel said only there is no substitute for a ceasefire agreement to guarantee that
the Palaro will be held undisturbed and the athletes and spectators will be safe.
He said the apprehensions over the security of Palaro have reportedly scared school officials and athletes from taking part in Palaro.
Reports said only nine regions have confirmed their participation in the tournament. The National Capital Region, Cordillera Autonomous Region and Southern Tagalog Region have reportedly withdrawn from Palaro in the wake of MILF attacks in two Lanao del Norte towns in late April. The attacks were repulsed by government troops.
Other regions – Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas and Bicol Region – reportedly expressed intention to skip Palaro due to security reasons.
Should several regions pull out of Palaro, Pimentel said this would dampen enthusiasm in the games, which may have disastrous consequences.
Since the Palaro is already delayed, Pimentel said the organizers may as well look for another venue or another province where the games will be held without security problems.
However, he said that if Palaro is held after the school classes have opened on June 9, the participating athletes will have to skip classes for one or two weeks.
Date: May 5, 2003
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