9. Foreign Policy. Will they work for an independent foreign policy?
Franklin Drilon
Voted for the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA)
Serge Osmena III
Voted against the VFA during its ratification in 2008.
Satur Ocampo
Pursue an independent foreign policy by, among others, abrogating the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement, the Mutual Defense Treaty and other one-sided agreements with other countries and foreign entities.
Liza Maza
I will help build new foreign relations based on respect for national sovereignty and mutual benefit and will move for the abrogation of unequal agreements with the foreign nations.
Ralph Recto
(On the issue of VFA) Said that “two leaders talking is diplomacy at the highest level. We should explore it.”
Ruffy Biazon
Sponsored Military Real Estate Development Act which expands the allocation of revenue from the sale, lease, joint-venture agreements and other transactions involving military bases and reservations, allocating funds therefor and for other purposes
Sonia Roco
Will push for a review of Visiting Forces Agreement
JV Bautista
Suspend foreign debt services, both the interest and the principal debt. Use the money instead in improving the local economy and public service.
Jose Apolinario Jr.
“I am a career foreign service officer. Independent foreign policy is only a byword, never in deed. I have always advocated for the independences of our policies from other countries. Btu we can only do this if we truly have a leader who believes in the Filipino and not from the dictates of foreign partners.
Danny Lim
“Yes. Its time to break out of the colonial thinking. We already know it is possible.”
Risa Hontiveros
Opposed the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) which allows the deployment of US troops in the country for military training
Tito Sotto
Voted for VFA
Pia Cayetano
Strongly advocated against the controversial VFA and pushed for its revocation and renegotiation.
Miriam Defensor Santiago
Strongly advocated against the controversial VFA and pushed for its revocation and renegotiation.
Teofisto Guingona III
Strongly advocated against the controversial VFA and pushed for its revocation and renegotiation.
10. Peace process. Will they pursue the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines?
Franklin Drilon
Drilon said he supports the peace process. He refused to sign the MOA-AD because it was unconstitutional and it would not lead to peace in Mindanao. (Hot Seat Frank Drilon)
Satur Ocampo
Address the roots of the armed conflict through the resumption of the peace talks and/or implementation of previous agreements with the NDF, MILF and MNLF
Holds the most solid track record as far as human rights and peace advocacy is concerned, including pushing for peace talks to resume between the Philippine government and the NDFP. He headed the Congressional Committee on Peace and Reconciliation.
Liza Maza
I will advance peace negotiations to help address and resolve the root causes of armed conflict in the country, and hopefully to implement agreements between the government and the National Democratic Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Hold the most solid track record as far as human rights and peace advocacy is concerned, including pushing for peace talks to resume between the Philippine government and the NDFP.
Alex Lacson
Lacson said, “The search for peace is a most arduous task. But we can never give up on the negotiations, talking with our brothers no matter their persuasion. I believe there is only one God, one Supreme Being. He put us all here as Filipinos and nothing should divide us. We have one destiny.” (http://filipinovoices.com/a-pinoy-speaks)
Adel Tamano
Tamano believes that “inter-faith dialogue and conflict resolution in the grassroots level” are important in solving the Mindanao conflict. “Achieving economic prosperity and political stability for the entire Philippines will never be attained unless the Mindanao conflict is resolved,” said Tamano. (adeltamano.com.ph/…/tamano-dares-presidential-aspirants-bare-christian-muslim-unity-agenda-now/)
Yasmin Lao
Claims she had enough experience to draft an effective peace policy because she has been internally displaced in Mindanao because of the conflict.
She said she would move to sustain the ceasefire while peace talks are continuing. Peace talks should include more sectors in Mindanao, Christian, Muslim and Lumad.
Development work should continue as well for the poorest provinces.
A peace policy should address the roots of the Mindanao conflict: economic marginalization, lack of representation and socio-cultural injustice. (Batas Media Reports with Yasmin Busran-lao Part 4)
Risa Hontiveros
Pushed for a resolution on the status of MILF-GRP Peace Talks and Urging the Convening of a Stakeholders’ summit on Mindanao
Claimed that she is a peace advocate and was the Secretary-General of the Coalition of Peace and served as member of the Government Panel for Peace Talks
Ruffy Biazon
Pushing for AFP Reform; Not just modernization but reform from both sides. Come up with an oversight committee to make the AFP more accountable to the people and not just to a select group of people. Where does all that intelligence funds go into?
Teofisto Guingona III
Promised to invest in the future of people of Mindanao
Juan Ponce Enrile
I am in favor of giving the lands that the people are claiming. We should not give them air space and territorial water. They need the land.
As for Luzon,we need to talk to the rebels, give them a job. If there are too many of them, we need to finish them off. If there many rebels, they win. But if there are only a handful of them, then they must obey us.
The government must devise a plan that provides an economic program and program of stability for Mindanao. Only the other day, I signed the enrolled bill creating the Mindanao Economic Development Authority.
http://www.juanponceenrile.com/interview30.php
Jinggoy Estrada
It is also high time to institute measures that would modernize the Philippine National Police, and improve the welfare of PNP personnel, considering that this agency is at the frontline of the government’s peace and order program. As such was filed by this Representation seeking to institute reforms in the PNP which I believe is long overdue and very much needed.
http://www.senjinggoyestrada.com/index.php/articles/view/10.html
Jose Apolinario Lozada Jr.
“I will push for it but we need to reconstruct our negotiating panel to include all sectors as principals and the military as secondary member. This is to show our sincerity to bring back our brothers and sisters into the mainstream of Philippine society.
The MILF and the NDF are rebelling against the government because of the unjust treatment we accord, many of our small people who have been used and reused only by politicians for their own interest.
After elections, nothing is heard of them and the military takes over using guns and bullets. We cannot achieve lasting peace using that. It is used only in the ultimate, if the unreasonable is being forced into the government. It is therefore needed that we must improve our economy to attract them back into the negotiating table. This is the main arm of the government in bringing them back into the mainstream of Philippine society.”
Danny Lim
“Yes, but a true negotiated peace and not one where the other party is held hostage by outside interference.”
Pia Cayetano
Push for the inclusion of women in the government peace panel in peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Miriam Defensor Santiago
Said that it is dangerous for the peace panel to stray from the concept of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao as provided in the Constitution. “And it is playing with fire to give cause to the irredentist ambitions of some Muslim groups.”
During the World Congress on Governance in 1999, she said that “The National Economic Development Agency (NEDA) can be used as an instrument for communication and poverty alleviation needed to promote peace.”
http://www.miriam.com.ph/june99.html#dec27“>http://www.miriam.com.ph/june99.html#dec27
Susan Ople
Recognizes the role of the king of Saudi Arabia to put an end to the conflict in Mindanao. “The work of the king in helping bring peace to the Muslim south of the Philippines will truly be a global milestone as we demonstrate to the world that Christian and Muslim nations can stop and resolve war and move toward a more peaceful, prosperous future for mankind.”
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