Dr. Charina Isahac,  a dentist from Jolo, Sulu said they conducted a forum in her province where the women registered their opposition to the Civilian Volunteers Organization (CVO) which she said were armed by politicians and may be used in the coming elections. CVOs are supposedly unarmed volunteers.

Aside from the CVO, Isahac was outraged with the government’s move to organize and recruit Women Police Auxiliary Unit (PAU) in her province, saying those being recruited “are identified with political leaders.”

“We asked them (government officials) to dismantle the  PAU. We are genuinely concerned about that,” she said.

The outrage against warlordism in the country came about after  the November 23 massacre in Sitio Masaly, Barangay Salman, Ampatuan town in Maguindanao where 58 persons were killed, 32 of them journalists.

Acting Maguindanao Governor Nariman Ambolodto,  one of the leaders who organized the three-day conference sponsored by Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy, is also against “warlordism,” and claimed she has already slowly “normalized” the situation in her province.

Five days after the massacre on November 23 last year, the government declared the province under the state of martial law, saying it was necessary to effect the arrest of the Ampatuans supected to be behind the gruesome killing.

While Ambolodto did not elaborate if all the members of the private armies of the Ampatuans were already neutralized, she reported that the “employees of the province have already reported to their respective offices and foreign donors are already coming back.”

Before the November massacre, a number of foreign-funded organizations were in Maguindanao province to address the humanitarian needs of some 300,000 internally displaced persons. In 2008, displacement in Mindanao reached a peak of 700,000 individuals.

“Last Thursday Act for Peace already distributed relief” to the war affected civilians who have yet to go home, the lady governor said.

Aside from opposing warlordism, the Aleemat also sought representation in the peace processes in Mindanao, arguing they (women) are in the best position to advance peace.

“There had been no women named to whatever posts in any of the peace processes. We the women nurture life and are therefore the best peace builders and advocates.,”Santanina Rasul, a former senator, said.

Believing the Arroyo government has no more time to change the members of its panel, said that they better wait for the next administration with whom they would lobby for Moro women membership to the negotiating panel. She said they would discuss the matter with Secretary Anabelle Abaya, who will be joining them today.

Western Mindanao State University president Grace Rebollos was reported to have been offered to be a member of the government peace panel, an offer she turned down.

The new panel member would have until June 30 only to finish her term.

 The Regional Conference on Women as Peace Advocates, which bannered the theme “Empowering Women as Peace Advocates,” was co-organized by the Magbassa Kita Foundation,  Japan Foundation and The One Woman Initiatives. (Romy B. Elusfa/MindaNews contributor)

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