The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Sunday said it is still taking the path to peace despite uncertainties hounding the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).
The stance, contained in the editorial of the MILF website, said much has been invested in the almost 18-year peace process aimed at ending the decades-old Moro problem in southern
”It is better for the government and the MILF to continue the path of peace, in which they have already invested so much, rather than go back to where they started, which is not only practical but also laden with dangers and uncertainties, the MILF editorial said.
The MILF said the difficulty both peace panels are facing in coming up with an agreed version of the draft BBL is considered temporary.
”If they persevere and remain committed to solving the Bangsamoro Question, no obstacle, God willing, can stop their way,” it said.
The draft prepared by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) was submitted to Malacanang in May for review by the Palace legal team.
As initially agreed, the draft would have been submitted to Congress right after President Aquino’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).
”But this is no reason to give up - rather, there are more to proceed,” the editorial said.
Both peace panels are now meeting at the Waterfront Hotel in
”It was discussion and not renegotiation on contentious issues,” Mohaqher Iqbal, MILF chief negotiator, said, adding that after the “agreed version” is reached, the panels will present the same to the Malaysian third party facilitator.
The MILF said the current discussion does not need to be finger-pointing. “But it is not good either to just ignore the cause of the delay. Like the GPH’s 3-for-1 formula, which the MILF outright rejected, as an extraneous effort, the conservative or restrictive interpretation of the Constitution adopted by the Review Team of the Office of the President (OP) and the resort to the use of “concepts, words and terms.”
It said the “concepts, words and terms,” are alien to the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and its Annexes, explained much of the difficulty.
”While we do not question intention, but the truth is that we do not know the wisdom either,” it said.
Clearly, the MILF is banking on the sincerity of President Aquino to come to terms with the MILF which he repeatedly expressed in his meeting with MILF chief Al Haj Murad, in his SONA and meeting between the government panel, concerned government agency representatives last July 23.
”One can safely say that he (President) is still fully committed to make peace with the MILF as his legacy. His limited reference to the BBL is simply an economy of words appropriate to the true state of the current discussion of the BBL,” the MILF said.
Claiming it understood the position of the President, the MILF said as partners in the peace-making, it is objective in assessing the situation in reference to the difficulty confronting both panels.
”The road ahead still offers some promises,” it said.
The MILF cited the reason for its optimism amid delays.
”One good determining factor is that both Parties have expressed willingness to travel the extra miles to be able to produce a mutually agreed version of the BBL,” the MILF said.
”All what is needed is a little time more; and more importantly, both sides must be truthful and faithful to the FAB and its Annexes, which is the basis of the BBL,” the editorial said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=669060
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