Bangsamoro Peace Deal Clearer, But Timetable Too Long, Says Analyst--Special Report (First of Two Parts)

From the Manila Bulletin (Oct 15): Bangsamoro Peace Deal Clearer, But Timetable Too Long, Says Analyst--Special Report (First of Two Parts)

The four-year timetable of the much-heralded Joint Philippine Government-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (GPH-MILF) Framework Agreement on the establishment of a Bangsamoro entity, which will be signed by the leaders of both panels tomorrow, October 15, is “too long.” This is one of the setbacks seen in the peace breakthrough by Prof. Julkipli Wadi, Dean of the University of the Philippines-Diliman—Institute of Islamic Studies.... “If the timetable can be shortened, it can be implemented during President Aquino’s incumbency, and can be his administration’s legacy,” said Wadi. What is in place right now based on the agreement as published in major newspapers Thursday, said Wadi, is that the present administration will just craft the laws and their implementation in the next leadership. “In the history of peace agreement in Mindanao, even if there are already existing laws, the succeeding administrations tasked to implement them were not that committed, especially that [the newly drafted peace agreement] is a political agreement. It is subject to the whims and caprices of whoever is at the helm of leadership,” explained Wadi....

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/377225/bangsamoro-peace-deal-clearer-but-timetable-too-long-says-analyst