Bangsamoro peace deal: The road to 2016

From GMA News (Mar 27): Bangsamoro peace deal: The road to 2016

On Thursday, the Philippine government and Muslim rebels will sign a pact to end one of Asia's longest and deadliest insurgencies following 17 years of negotiations.

President Benigno Aquino III and Murad Ebrahim, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), will oversee the signing of the peace deal during a ceremony at the presidential palace in Manila. The MILF is the biggest remaining Muslim rebel group yet to sign a peace accord after the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) forged a similar agreement with the government in 1996.

Read: Timeline of the Mindanao peace process

Read the highlights of the four annexes to the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro signed in 2012 below, with links to the documents.

Annex I. On Transitional Arrangements and Modalities


The President shall issue an executive order creating the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC). This will be composed of 15 members who are all Bangsamoro: seven will be chosen by the Philippine government while the remaining eight – including the chair – will be selected by the MILF.

The BTC will draft the Basic Law and propose amendments in the Philippine Constitution to accommodate the Bangsamoro.

The Basic Law will be submitted to the President, who shall certify it as urgent and pass it on to Congress as a legislative proposal.

The Basic Law will provide for the creation of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), which will act as the interim government until the election of officials for the Bangsamoro government in 2016. The President shall appoint its members, led by the MILF.

A third-party monitoring team will be put up to see through the implementation of the agreements. It is an independent body composed of a chairperson from an international body and four other representatives from local and international non-government organizations.

 
Annex II. On Revenue Generation and Wealth-Sharing



All taxing powers already granted to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) shall be transferred to the Bangsamoro, which shall collect all taxes within its jurisdiction (i.e. capital gains tax, documentary stamps, donor's tax, estate tax) instead of the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

The Bangsamoro government will get 75 percent of taxes, fees, and charges for the Central Government collected within its jurisdiction, as well as the power to grant tax exemptions and other incentives.

It will also have power over existing government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) and financial institutions operating exclusively in its territory. Government income derived from natural resources shall be divided between the Bangsamoro and the Central Government as follows: 75 percent to the Bangsamoro on metallic minerals, and 50 percent each on fossil fuels. Revenues from non-metallic minerals (i.e. sand, gravel, quarry resources) will all go to the Bangsamoro.

The Central Government shall provide a block grant to the Bangsamoro equal to or higher than the last budget received by the ARMM immediately before the establishment of the BTA. The formula for the grant will be subject to review after 10 years.

The Central Government will provide for a Special Development Fund to the Bangsamoro for rehabilitation and development purposes upon the ratification of the Basic Law.

Five percent of the Bangsamoro's development funds will be dedicated to support programs and activities for women.

Annex III. On Power-Sharing

 

 

The Bangsamoro will have the authority to regulate the affairs of its local government units (LGUs), while the Central Government will ensure the Bangsamoro's participation and representation in national agencies.

The Bangsamoro will have a ministerial form of government with a democratically-elected assembly representative of its constituent political units as well as non-Moro indigenous communities, women, and other sectors. It shall be composed of at least 50 members.

Powers that the Bangsamoro and the Central Government have over the territory will be delineated into three levels:

- reserved, or those that the Cental Government will retain (i.e. defense and internal security, foreign policy, citizenship, immigration)

- exclusive, or powers to be held by the Bangsamoro (i.e. agriculture, economic and cultural exchange, tourism, budgeting)

- concurrent or shared powers (i.e. social security and pensions, land registration, civil service, funding for maintenance of national infrastructure)

 

Annex IV. On Normalization

 

 

The MILF shall undertake a graduated program for decommissioning of firearms, defined as “a process aimed at helping the members of its Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) in the transition to a civilian life.” (Note: The document does not specify what will be done to firearms held by MILF members.)

The government shall redeploy AFP units and troops from and within the Bangsamoro, only retaining installations necessary for national defense and security.

The disbandment of private armed groups shall be a joint priority of the Philippine government and the MILF.

Both parties will jointly undertake detection and clearance of mines and unexploded ordnance, as well as mine risk education.

The Bangsamoro police force shall be professional and civilian in character, reporting to both the Bangsamoro and the Central Government.

The following mechanisms shall be established to ensure effective security collaboration prior to the establishment of a fully operational police force in the Bangsamoro territory:

- Joint Normalization Committee

- Joint Peace and Security Committee

- Joint Peace and Security Teams

The MILF, the government, and independent observers warn a lasting peace is far from guaranteed, with many obstacles still to be overcome before Aquino steps down in 2016. The infographic below traces the critical steps that still need be taken after Thursday's peace deal is signed, until the new Bangsamoro political entity is put in place.


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