SULTAN KUDARAT, Philippines (ABS-CBN News/18 June) -- The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) once again aired its dismay over the status of peace negotiations with the Philippine government.

In his speech at Camp Darapan in Sultan Kudarat town, Maguindanao on Tuesday, MILF First Vice Chairman Ghazali Jaafar said the delay on the peace process might lessen the optimism and hope of the Bangsamoro people.

Jaafar said if the impasse continues, the MILF leadership's control on the Bangsamoro people might also decrease.

"Every single day of delay decreases our chance to implement the framework agreement and also decreases the MILF's control on our people. It also decreases the chance to resolve the Bangsamoro problem," he said during the visit of diplomats and members of the international community who paid courtesy to the MILF leadership.

He mentioned that after the signing of the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement October last year at Malacañang where hundreds of thousands of people watched and celebrated, it was agreed that annexes of the said agreement will be ironed out and then signed on the first quarter of 2013.

But up to this day, Jaafar said only the annexes on the Transitional Arrangement and Modalities were agreed upon. Meanwhile, the issues on power and wealth sharing and normalization were left hanging.

The official also stressed that it looks like the government is more focused on socio-economic programs rather than forging an agreement.

Jaafar called on stakeholders and the Bangsamoro people to remain committed to the peace process.

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor-elect Mujiv Hataman, meanwhile, said delays are acceptable as both panels are still reviewing the details of the annexes.

Hataman also believes that even if the parties are not talking in the negotiating table, the process is still going on.

Humanitarian efforts in Mindanao

Meanwhile, members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and United Nations (UN) visited the ARMM government and MILF Tuesday morning and vowed to strengthen their humanitarian efforts in Mindanao.

The joint mission also aims to know to what extent the OIC and UN can help the country in the humanitarian aspect.

The team clarified that the visit was purely for humanitarian purposes and not about the ongoing peace process.

In ARMM, teams from Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Brunei and other international agencies of UN had a briefing with the ARMM officials and government agencies followed by a visit at Camp Darapan with the MILF Central Committee. -- Lore Mae Andong/ABS-CBN News