Bishops-Ulama group meets with GMA

DAVAO CITY � The Bishops-Ulama Conference (BUC) presented to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo the final results of its consultations and dialogues with local communities in the aftermath of the aborted signing of the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain (Moa-AD).

The meeting with the President was held during the BUC’s 37th general assembly last week at the Waterfront Insular Hotel in Lanang, Davao city.

It can be recalled that the President has requested the BUC, __, to spearhead the conduct of consultations and dialogues with affected communities after the Supreme Court ruled as unconstitutional the Moa-AD between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

This aborted signing in August of last year led to an outbreak of hostilities between the Government and lawless MILF groups.

The President has reiterated her administration’s commitment to conduct negotiations with the leadership of the MILF under a new paradigm of demobilization, disarmament and reintegration (DDR), centering on authentic dialogues with the communities.

The Philippine government is one of the leading proponents for global initiatives on interfaith dialogues and cooperation for peace. As a primary example of its initiative the President has cited the BUC’s pioneering work in building interfaith dialogues in communities all over Mindanao.

The BUC is led by Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla, United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Bishop Hilario Gomez Jr., Fr. Albert Alejo, project director of Konsult Mindanaw; and Dr. Hamid Barra, representing the Ulama League of the Philippines. (PIA XI)

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