February 7, 2010 - North Cotabato Vice Governor Emmanuel Piñol and two other officials of the province were in Kuala Lumpur during the two-day 17th GRP-MILF Exploratory Talks on January 27-28, reportedly to submit documents containing results of consultations conducted in villages and municipalities of the province, to government peace panel chairman Ambassador Rafael Seguis.

With Piñol on their long travel to the Malaysian capital were Board Members Romeo Arana and Ronaldo Pader.

Seguis and two panel members, Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman, and Ronald Adamat, met with Vice Gov. Piñol and Arana and Pader at the Impiana Hotel for about one hour.

Seguis told the three provincial officials that the documents were important as these would help the panel firm up its position on the proposed expansion of the autonomous area to be placed under the administration of the MILF.

The spnorthcotabato.net, the North Cotabato E-portal, quoted Seguis as thanking the three North Cotabato officials, who travelled all the way to Kuala Lumpur to submit resolutions and documents gathered from the barangays and municipalities of the province during a series of consultations on the peace process.

As expected, the results of the consultations contained in the documents were expression of opposition to the inclusion of the areas concerned for the future Bangsamoro state.

Sec. Pangandaman said with the North Cotabato documents and resolutions in the possession of the GRP Panel now, it would be easier for the government negotiators to explain to the MILF that the people of North Cotabato reject the proposal to be included in “an Enhanced Autonomy or the MILF’s proposed Bangsamoro Sub-State.”

Both the GRP and the MILF exchanged draft text proposals on the comprehensive peace compact and will meet again on Feb. 18 and 19 prior to the expected signing of an agreement in March of this year.