Concerned over President-elect Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III’s silence on the peace process with Muslim rebel groups after his proclamation, Muslim leaders appealed to the incoming Chief Executive to continue the negotiations and strive harder to end once and for all the Mindanao strife.

At the same time, the Muslim Alliance for Noynoy Aquino (MANA), headed by lawyer Paisalin Tago, one of Aquino's avid supporters in the May 10 elections, congratulated him on his proclamation on June 9 as the country’s 15th President.

Several Muslims noticed after his proclamation that Aquino did not say a word or two about the 13-year-old peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the three-year-old review of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA) with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

But Tago defended Aquino, saying the son of two democracy icons should not be judged this early.

"I believe that by naming Mrs. Teresita Deles as his adviser on the peace process, that says a lot about the President-elect's policy on the negotiations. She (Deles) was a well-liked presidential peace adviser accepted by rebel groups," said Tago.

MANA's founding leader said he has been consulting with other Muslim leaders who are appealing to Aquino to continue peace talks with the MILF and honor the provisions of the MNLF peace treaty.

"Let us hope and pray that under the Aquino presidency the peace talks will continue to a successful conclusion and peace at last will be achieved in the long-suffering Muslim Mindanao," said Tago.

"Our people and MANA are also hoping that the new President appoints qualified Muslims in the Cabinet and other government agencies," he said, adding the FPA has provisions that call for the appointment of Muslims to the Cabinet, judiciary, military, police, line agencies and other government institutions.