Government of the Philippines (GRP) peace panel chairman Rafael Seguis expressed optimism that a peace pact will still be forged between the GRP and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

According to Seguis, who is also the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary for Special Concerns, both parties have expressed optimism that a significant interim agreement can still be realistically pursued.

“The GRP panel’s sincerity is never diminished by the limited time we are given… We remain committed to understanding whatever you have to say, inasmuch as we hope the MILF Panel would be committed to understand our ideas as well,” he said.

He added that the GRP panel is exploring every conceivable means and exerting every possible effort, to arrive at an agreement that is just, equitable, honorable, and acceptable to all parties.

Both parties met in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia earlier during the week. Seguis said there had been no negotiations but a question-and-answer session, which he described as “cordial and frank.”

“The questions were direct and we got clarification on matters we wanted to know more about,” he said.

He said the MILF is proposing a transition arrangement that will convert the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) into a “self-governance set up.” The GRP panel will be submitting its counterproposal to the MILF draft, which will be discussed in their next meeting.

“We hope that in the end we will come up with an agreement that is clear, beneficial, and – this is a special concern of the GRP panel – able to withstand any and all legal or constitutional hurdles, or hostilities, that may be thrown against it,” he said.