But they should give info to gov't on Maute group, says Tony La Viña

MANILA - While humanitarian help from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNL) is welcome as government forces flush out Maute fighters in Marawi City, tapping their fighters could create confusion in the middle of an already tense situation, an analyst said Wednesday.

It would be "very difficult operationally" to have the MILF and the MNLF fight the Maute group alongside the Philippine Army as "a lot of friendly fire could happen between all these forces," said former Ateneo School of Government dean Antonio La Viña.

"Humanitarian [aid] is okay, the MNLF and MILF actually have civilian components and the civilian components can do that," he told ANC's Early Edition.

"I would say that the MNLF, MILF fighters should stay out of this because it’s going to get very confusing. There will be lots of friendly fire and before we know it, they’re firing at each other [though] not intentionally," he said.

The MNLF signed a peace agreement with the government in 1997, and the MILF signed a peace deal in 2014. The MILF, however, is still pushing for the new Bangsamoro entity that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Days after he declared martial law over the entire Mindanao, President Rodrigo Duterte said fighters from former Muslim separatists and communist New People’s Army who are in peace mode may help the government fight the Maute terrorists, promising them the “same pay and same privileges” as what soldiers and policemen get.

The MILF, after a meeting with the President, said it has offered to help get civilians caught in the middle of the ongoing firefight out of their homes.

• READ: MILF offers to help rescue civilians trapped in Marawi

The communist group has also indicated that it supports the government in opposing terror groups in Mindanao.

Although La Viña is against the MILF and MNLF fighters' actual involvement in the battle, he hopes these groups can share information with the government regarding the enemy in their respective strongholds.

"The fact is we have a cultural barrier there because families, these clans in Lanao for example, they have relatives in almost every faction of government; the MNLF, the MILF and even have relationships with Maute group, people," he said.

"It takes something to overcome that cultural barrier and giving information would be a great thing because the truth is that this problem will have to be solved eventually by the local people, by the leaders, by the Muslim politicians, by the Maranao people," he added.

La Viña, who said he is supportive of Duterte's peace plan, warned that the violence in the south threatens the progress that has been made there, despite assurances from the government that martial law is not directed at any other armed unit except the Maute group.

"The fog of war always leads to these tensions. That’s why it’s so important to have civilian control, to have civilian review like Congress’ so that the military knows that they are being watched because this could spill over very quickly," he said.

'CONGRESS SHOULD CONVENE JOINTLY ON MARTIAL LAW'

Meanwhile, La Viña also underscored that apart from an earlier decision from the Supreme Court that said Congress should automatically convene jointly upon the President's declaration of martial law, it would also be practical for the legislators to meet jointly for it.

He cited that the Supreme Court adjudged in the Fortun vs Arroyo case in 2012 that Congress' review powers "is automatic rather than initiated."

"There are many lawyers in the Congress and the House. They should look at the case of Fortun and Arroyo. It’s very clear there that the review is automatic, it is not discretionary for the Congress to do and the review has to be done by Congress in joint session," he said.

On top of this, Congress might as well meet jointly now since the legislative branch is the only one that may extend martial law upon the request of the president.

"They are the only body that can extend the martial law declaration after 60 days, and they can revoke it anytime within, before that, or after that if they extend it," he said.

"It would actually be good for them to meet together as a joint body and establish a bilateral commission, a bicameral body to monitor the implementation of martial law. That would provide a lot of comfort to people that abuses will not happen," he added.

Lawmakers from the minority in both houses of Congress have sought for a joint session, but the Senate on Tuesday junked the motion pending in their chamber.