Pres. Aquino confident GPH-MILF peace deal to be completed before his term ends

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 23): Pres. Aquino confident GPH-MILF peace deal to be completed before his term ends

President Benigno Aquino III remains confident that the peace agreement will be completed before his term ends in 2016.

During the annual Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines forum at the Manila Hotel, the President said that negotiators from both government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front have been cognizant of the issues.

"Both parties have acknowledged that the annexes have the most contentious issues... crafting the correct agreement that is livable and doable will have to take the necessary time," the President said on Wednesday's FOCAP event.

The GPH and the MILF peace panels failed to sign the annexes on power sharing and normalization during the 41st exploratory talks in Kuala Lumpur. But GPH panel chair Miriam Colonel Ferrer said the parties will meet again "in due time" as they agreed on a process to facilitate the discussion on unsettled issues.

A completed Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro (FAB) shall be the basis for an enabling law to legitimize the replacement of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with an MILF-led Bangsamoro self-governing political entity.

The President also kept his hopes that the government and MILF panel could iron out a peace accord despite the recent standoff in Zamboanga City between government security forces and Muslim rebels allied to Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari.

Misuari reportedly dispatched dozens of his armed followers to Zamboanga City last Sept. 9 to disrupt and subsequently halt the signing of the peace deal with MILF, its rival rebel group.

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