THE Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Thursday urged the government anew to freeze its gas and oil explorations in what the group called “ Moro ancestral domain,” at least until the issue is settled by government and MILF negotiators.

An MILF military commander whose jurisdiction covers a big portion of the Liguasan Marsh where much of oil and gas reserves are located made the appeal, saying exploration without settling the ownership issue may have bad effects.

“I hope the Aquino administration would not take for granted our request,” said the commander in an article posted on the MILF website. The story did not name the commander.

The article quoted the commander as saying the exploration of the gas and oil reserves in “our homeland” without settling the ownership issue first would be “adverse to the interests of our people.”

He also appealed to would-be-bidders to reconsider their decision to be involved in a business venture that is still a subject of controversy.

The appeal stemmed from report that the Department of Energy (DOE) has extended the bidding deadline for the oil and gas blocks it offered to investors under the Philippine Energy Contracting Round (PECR).

Energy Undersecretary Jose Layug Jr. said the department moved the January 31 pre-qualification deadline for those interested to vie for petroleum blocks to February 29 to give interested parties more time to prepare their bids.

In August 2011, the MILF peace panel formally put in the agenda of the talks the issue of the gas and oil explorations in Moro ancestral domain.

MILF peace panel head Mohagher Iqbal conveyed the request for suspension of the bidding of contracts to government chief peace negotiator Dean Marvic Leonen.