‘Peace deal with MILF won’t abrogate 1996 pact with MNLF’

From the Business Mirror (Jan 28): ‘Peace deal with MILF won’t abrogate 1996 pact with MNLF’

MALACAÑANG on Tuesday insisted that the government’s new peace accord with the breakaway Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) creating “a new Bangsamoro entity” will not abrogate the 1996 peace pact between the Ramos administration with the mainstream Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) that created the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. also assured that the agreement being finalized with the MILF would even include the “best features” of the earlier peace deal forged by the Ramos administration with the MNLF led by fugitive ex-ARMM Gov. Nur Misuari. 

Addressing what he called “continuing challenges to the viability of the peace process” at Palace news briefing, Coloma quoted Presidential Adviser Teresita Deles saying “the  MNLF inputs to the crafting of the Bangsamoro basic law are welcome.”

“She also said that there is no abrogation of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement. In fact, the government wishes to incorporate into the proposed Bangsamoro basic law all the best features of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement, as well as those in the Organic Act on the ARMM or Republic Act [RA] 9054,” Coloma said.

He noted that Deles, likewise, explained that the government had adopted the 42 consensus points agreed upon during the tripartite process involving the Philippine government, the MNLF and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC). 

“These consensus points have been conveyed to the Bangsamoro Transition Commission that is tasked to prepare the draft bill to be submitted to the President and Congress,” the Palace official added.

Coloma also downplayed the effects on the ongoing peace negotiations of the latest outbreak of violence in Maguindanao perpetrated by the so-called Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), reporting that the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police “are now conducting joint law-enforcement operations to serve arrest warrants against members of the BIFF—a breakaway group from the MILF.

“According to the Army, the MILF are part of the operations of the military and the police to secure their communities and prevent entry of BIFF elements,” the secretary said.

He also cited reports over the weekend that after the signing of the normalization annex in the MILF peace deal, “a BIFF spokesman identified as Abu Misri Mama said the splinter group will not sabotage the peace process despite disagreements with the Central Committee of the MILF.”

“The government is hopeful that with the support of the citizenry there will be no serious disruption of the peace process as it moves toward full fruition,” Coloma told reporters at the briefing.

He confirmed the government negotiation panel’s projection that a final peace deal with the MILF could be formally signed by March this year, after which a proposed basic law crafted by a transition commission creating the new Bangsamoro entity would be submitted for Congress concurrence and subsequent ratification in a plebiscite, possibly by next year.

“The next step after the signing of the comprehensive agreement on the Bangsamoro will be the drafting of the Bangsamoro basic law. As we have discussed previously, even after the signing of the annexes on transitional arrangements, power-sharing and wealth-sharing, and now normalization, the members of the commission have started to address the salient points that will be included into the draft bill,” Coloma said.

He added that once the draft bill is completed, it will be submitted to President Aquino and then to House of Representatives and the Senate for enactment. “As soon as Congress enacts the Bangsamoro basic law, it will set the date for a plebiscite for its approval. We are hoping that approval may take place in 2015.”

“After the approval of the Bangsamoro basic law in a plebiscite, the final step will be the election of officials of the Bangsamoro political entity, which we hope can and will take place before June 30, 2016,” Coloma said, referring to the last day of President Aquino’s six-year term.

The Palace official voiced confidence there is enough time to pass the enabling law “for it [election of new Bangsamoro officiuals] to be held simultaneously with the May 2016 national elections. So those are the remaining steps on the road map toward the full fruition of the Bangsamoro peace process.”

US, Canada hail signing of agreement

THE United States on Tuesday congratulated the Philippines and the MILF for concluding negotiations toward a historic, comprehensive peace agreement.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement, “This agreement offers the promise of peace, security and economic prosperity now and for future generations in Mindanao.”

Kerry said both sides are moving closer to the vision of a just and peaceful solution as outlined in the October 2012 Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro.

The US also commended the government of Malaysia, facilitator of the talks, as well as the International Contact Group, for their constructive role in helping resolve a decades-long conflict.

At the same time, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird welcomed the peace agreement, saying: “This marks another step forward as both sides continue along the path toward building lasting peace, stability, development and prosperity in Mindanao following decades of conflict.”

With a foundation for peace now established, we encourage both parties to continue working in the spirit of cooperation during the implementation phase of the agreement in the months ahead, Baird added.

He said Canada also recognizes the important work done by Malaysia as facilitator of the negotiations, and that of the International Contact Group on Mindanao in advancing the process.

“Canada is proud to support the efforts of both parties through our contribution to the work of the Independent Commission on Policing.”

Over the weekend, the government and the MILF signed the Annex on Normalization during the recently-concluded round of talks brokered by Malaysia.

Government chief peace negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer on Monday said she is hopeful that a comprehensive agreement with the MILF will be signed by March of this year.

The signing of the comprehensive peace deal with the MILF will take place ‘hopefully, not beyond March this year,” she said at a televised press briefing in Malacañang.

She said the comprehensive deal will be made up of the framework agreement, the four signed annexes and two addendum.

However, she added that to pull these parts together, some kind of text is needed which they are working on through teams that the government and the MILF have agreed to create.

“Very soon, we hope to be able to also work on the specific preparations that will be needed for a ceremonial signing of the comprehensive agreement on the Bangsamoro,” Ferrer said.

http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/en/news/nation/26658-peace-deal-with-milf-won-t-abrogate-1996-pact-with-mnlf