MILF vows to select well-balanced composition of Transition Commission members

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 24): MILF vows to select well-balanced composition of Transition Commission members

Learning from previous experience, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Saturday assured it will only name highly qualified and truly representative members of the Transition Commission. “It will be known by middle of December. We will select the participants with extra care,” Mohammad Ameen, chair of the MILF secretariat, said in a statement.... The Transition Commission, which is composed of 15 members including the chairman, eight of whom will be named and recommended by the MILF, has three major functions: To draft the Basic Law, to proposed amendments to the Philippine Constitution and to coordinate, if necessary, development projects in the areas of Bangsamoro. Eight of the members including the chairman will be nominated by the MILF and seven to be nominated by the government. Ameen said the MILF nominees to the TC will only be released once President Benigno S. Aquino III has issued an Executive Order creating the Commission. Asked to describe the eight MILF TC members, Ameen made the assurance that the composition will be well-balanced and representative of the major blocs in the MILF and tribes in Mindanao. He said the MILF TC members will include one woman and one member of the indigenous tribes. Ameen said that as early as October, the MILF has already shortlisted some 15 names which was trimmed to just eight names early this month. “We never allowed recommendations to disrupt our selection process,” Ameen explained, adding that a selection committee was organized to look closely at the qualifications of each nominee. “Recommendation is no-no in our process of selection for the TC,” he stressed. He said only two qualifications were considered in determining who will make it to the magic eight: one is dedication, commitment, and loyalty to the cause, and two, capability to discharge the duties and responsibilities required of the job.

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