MILF denies role in bid on Arroyo

Manila: The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has said it is offended by Armed Forces chief General Hermogenes Esperon's assertion that it was behind a plot to assassinate President Gloria Arroyo.

The MILF stated that it had never entertained the thought of assassinating Arroyo.

"This is an insidious lie and a preposterous claim by one no less than the highest military officer of the country against a partner in the peace process," said Mohammad Ameen, chairperson of the MILF Secretariat.

Ameen criticised Esperon "for making sweeping and irresponsible statement against the MILF, in direct and utter disregard of the primacy of the peace process and the ceasefire in Mindanao".

"This should not be left unanswered even in the form of a formal protest," Ameen said.

Esperon said on Friday the intelligence arm of the police and the military had uncovered a supposed assassination plot against Arroyo.

The plot had reportedly been accidentally discovered by a security guard in an establishment in Metro Manila.

Cancellation

Reports on the purported attempt on the life of the President had forced Presidential Security Group commander Brig Gen Romeo Prestosa to call off Arroyo's scheduled trip to the highland resort of Baguio City yesterday to attend the Philippine Military Academy's alumni homecoming.

MILF committee on information and peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal, branded Esperon's statement as a "virtual invitation for war".

Iqbal, in an interview with Manila-based DXML, said charging a partner in the peace process with planning bombing and assassination "is a very serious pronouncement that violates the very spirit of the peace process".

Iqbal denied the existence of an MILF breakaway group.

"The MILF Central Committee is in control and every man and woman in the organisation is toeing the line the moment a decision is made," he stressed.

Iqbal called on his counterpart in the government Peace Panel, Sec Rodolfo Garcia, to have a serious look into allegations against the MILF. Prior to Esperon's statements, Prestoza also revealed that the plot against Arroyo also involved the communist New People's Army (NPA).

Prestoza said right after Arroyo had announced an intensified drive against the NPA less than a month ago, the communist insurgent group had already drawn up a response to the government offensive.

The response, according to Prestoza, would be in the form of bomb attacks in various parts of the country. The reports over the alleged plot to kill Arroyo came amid renewed allegations of corruption in Manila.