The secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said it would form a peace panel as soon as the government completes its lineup of peace negotiators. “As soon as the government completes its panel, we can come out very shortly with our own panel...As soon as the government completes their line-up, we can come up very shortly with our line-up,” said Mohagher Iqbal, the chair of the MILF committee on information. Iqbal, who previously chaired the MILF panel, said their organization is considering people for the position of chief negotiator. “We have a shortlist but I'm not yet privileged to disclose it,” Iqbal said. Both the MILF and the government have disbanded its peace panel at the later part of the administration of President Arroyo. The new administration has named those who will compose its panel, except for one member. Iqbal said “at this point in time, the MILF thinks that the government should be the one who should put into place its peace panel.” President Benigno Simeon Aquino III said in his first State of the Nation Address in July that he is hoping that the peace talks with the MILF would resume after Ramadan. Iqbal said, “If they are not going to initiate changes on the existing mechanisms in place, that may push through. But if they do that, change the facilitating country and the facilitator, that will probably be a problem.”
