From the Business World (Jan 24): Moro groups slam claim that hostilities will follow peace deal signing
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Moro groups in Mindanao slammed a statement by Absalom Cerveza, spokesman of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)-Nur Misuari faction, who made a claim on radio that fighting could break out in Mindanao if the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) reach a peace agreement in Kuala Lumpur.
Alih S. Aiyub of the Bishop-Ulama Conference dismissed Mr. Cerveza’s claim, saying that "on the contrary, I see light at the end of the tunnel," referring to the developments in the ongoing talks between the government and the MILF.
Ali T. Yacub, president of the Golden Crescent Consortium of Peace Builders and Affiliates, advised Mr. Cerveza to contribute to the peace process rather than propagate hatred.
"No, we don’t share his view. Mr. Cerveza should be a peace advocate and a peace builder," he said. "The MNLF leadership is just conducting a propaganda [sic]," said Edmund Gumbahali, president of Panglima Hawani Foundation, which is based in Jolo, Sulu.
In a radio interview on Thursday, Mr. Cerveza claimed that huge numbers of MILF fighters are against the ongoing talks between the government and the MILF, saying that the disgruntled members could join the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters -- an MILF splinter group.
Ghadzali Jaafar, MILF vice-chairman for political affairs, also dismissed Mr. Cerveza’s statement, saying that the entire MILF is committed to abide with the agreements of the peace talks. "It’s not true. All MILF members support the ongoing peace talks," he said in a phone interview with BusinessWorld.
Meanwhile, Lilia Macrohon-Nuño, this city’s second district representative to Congress, believes the final peace agreement between the government and the MILF will bring lasting peace and will benefit not just her city but the rest of Mindanao.
Ms. Nuño is among the members of the House of Representatives invited to witness the ongoing 43rd Formal Exploratory Talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which seeks to complete the remaining Annex on Normalization of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro and the addendum on Bangsamoro waters. The negotiations started on Wednesday and are expected to end on Sunday.
The framework agreement’s Annexes on Transitional Arrangements and Modalities, Revenue Sharing and Wealth Generation, and Power Sharing were approved by the government and the MILF in separate occasions last year.
"I am very happy I was invited because I have seen how the peace panel has been working. I see that this will bring lasting peace to Mindanao," Ms. Macrohon-Nuño said. For decades, the city government has been critical of the MILF and has been firmly against its inclusion in a referendum that would create a Bangsamoro state.
As lawmakers, Ms. Nuño said witnessing the negotiations is beneficial in helping them respond to the Bangsamoro Basic Law. While she stressed that Zamboanga City is outside the proposed Bangsamoro territory, the city could benefit from the peace agreement since it is located near the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi.
The three island provinces are part of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which includes the mainland provinces of Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao.
The Bangsamoro framework agreement, which the GPH and the MILF signed on Oct. 15, 2012, envisions the creation of a Bangsamoro government that will replace the current autonomous Muslim region in 2016.
"Whatever the gains of the island-provinces [from the peace agreement], Zamboanga City will also benefit from them," Ms. Nuño said.
Zamboanga City, which opted not to be part of the ARMM in the 2001 plebiscite, serves as the trading and financial hub of western Mindanao which includes the Zamboanga Peninsula and the ARMM provinces.
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Nation&title=Moro-groups-slam-claim-that-hostilities-will-follow-peace-deal-signing&id=82506
Saturday, January 25, 2014
The way to peace in Mindanao
From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jan 25): The way to peace in Mindanao
1997
Peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) begin, months after the government signs a peace accord with the Nur Misuari-led Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
2008
July—After more than a decade of on-and-off talks, the government and the MILF announce an agreement to expand the autonomous Moro region in Mindanao.
Proposed memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain, or MOA-AD, calls for a Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) with its own “basic law,” police and internal security force, and system of banking and finance, civil service, education and legislative and electoral institutions, as well as full authority to develop and dispose of minerals and other natural resources.
The BJE includes the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM); six municipalities in Lanao del Norte; hundreds of villages in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato, which voted in 2001 to become part of the ARMM; and parts of Palawan.
August 4—The Supreme Court stops signing of the MOA-AD, scheduled the following day, amid strong public opposition; clashes erupt in Mindanao.
September 3—Violence prompts Malacañang to announce that it will not sign the MOA-AD and dissolve its peace panel.
October 14—The Supreme Court, voting 8-7, declares the MOA-AD unconstitutional, describes the process that led to its crafting as “whimsical, capricious, oppressive, arbitrary and despotic.” It affirms its decision on
Nov. 11, triggering MILF attacks on Christian communities in Mindanao that send 750,000 people fleeing their homes and leaving 400 dead.
2010
July 15—President Aquino assembles new panel to resume talks, names Marvic Leonen, dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law, as chair.
August 31—The President announces that Malaysia will remain facilitator of the talks.
2011
August 4—The President holds secret meeting with MILF chair Murad Ebrahim in Tokyo; two sides agree to speed up peace talks. The meeting is a first since the talks began in 1997.
August 22—Exploratory talks begin in Kuala Lumpur.
October 18—MILF forces clash with military troops in Al-Barka, Basilan, leaving 19 soldiers and six rebels dead.
December 5—Formal talks resume in Kuala Lumpur.
2012
April 25—The government and the MILF panels announce agreement to create a new autonomous political entity to replace the ARMM.
October 7—President Aquino says “framework agreement” reached with MILF to establish a new autonomous entity, to be called Bangsamoro, administered by Muslims
2013
February 11—The President and MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim launched Sajahatra Bangsamoro(“Blessings, Prosperity and Peace upon the Bangsamoro”) at the Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute in Sulta Kudarat, Maguindanao
March 7—Task Force Sajahatra was created bvy the MILF at Camp Darapanan to deal closely with the government’s Task Force on Bangsamoro Development.
December 4—42nd Government of the Philippines and MILF Exploratory Talks start.
December 6—MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal has said that a final draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law that will seal a final peace deal with the government would be finalized in April next year
December 7—42nd Government of the Philippines and MILF Exploratory Talks end.
2014
January 24—43rd Government of the Philippines and MILF Exploratory Talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia start allowing for the completion of the normalization annex.
The normalization annex deals with the overall security in the new Bangsamoro that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the timeframe and manner by which the Moro rebels are expected to lay down their arms.
This could be the final round of negotiations between the two panels should they agree on the last annex that would make up the comprehensive peace agreement aimed.
January 25— The Philippine government and the MILF agree to sign the last annex of the Bangsamoro framework, sealing the peace pact that seeks to end the decades-long Muslim secessionist movement in the country
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/569219/the-way-to-peace-in-mindanao
1997
Peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) begin, months after the government signs a peace accord with the Nur Misuari-led Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
2008
July—After more than a decade of on-and-off talks, the government and the MILF announce an agreement to expand the autonomous Moro region in Mindanao.
Proposed memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain, or MOA-AD, calls for a Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) with its own “basic law,” police and internal security force, and system of banking and finance, civil service, education and legislative and electoral institutions, as well as full authority to develop and dispose of minerals and other natural resources.
The BJE includes the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM); six municipalities in Lanao del Norte; hundreds of villages in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato, which voted in 2001 to become part of the ARMM; and parts of Palawan.
August 4—The Supreme Court stops signing of the MOA-AD, scheduled the following day, amid strong public opposition; clashes erupt in Mindanao.
September 3—Violence prompts Malacañang to announce that it will not sign the MOA-AD and dissolve its peace panel.
October 14—The Supreme Court, voting 8-7, declares the MOA-AD unconstitutional, describes the process that led to its crafting as “whimsical, capricious, oppressive, arbitrary and despotic.” It affirms its decision on
Nov. 11, triggering MILF attacks on Christian communities in Mindanao that send 750,000 people fleeing their homes and leaving 400 dead.
2010
July 15—President Aquino assembles new panel to resume talks, names Marvic Leonen, dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law, as chair.
August 31—The President announces that Malaysia will remain facilitator of the talks.
2011
August 4—The President holds secret meeting with MILF chair Murad Ebrahim in Tokyo; two sides agree to speed up peace talks. The meeting is a first since the talks began in 1997.
August 22—Exploratory talks begin in Kuala Lumpur.
October 18—MILF forces clash with military troops in Al-Barka, Basilan, leaving 19 soldiers and six rebels dead.
December 5—Formal talks resume in Kuala Lumpur.
2012
April 25—The government and the MILF panels announce agreement to create a new autonomous political entity to replace the ARMM.
October 7—President Aquino says “framework agreement” reached with MILF to establish a new autonomous entity, to be called Bangsamoro, administered by Muslims
2013
February 11—The President and MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim launched Sajahatra Bangsamoro(“Blessings, Prosperity and Peace upon the Bangsamoro”) at the Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute in Sulta Kudarat, Maguindanao
March 7—Task Force Sajahatra was created bvy the MILF at Camp Darapanan to deal closely with the government’s Task Force on Bangsamoro Development.
December 4—42nd Government of the Philippines and MILF Exploratory Talks start.
December 6—MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal has said that a final draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law that will seal a final peace deal with the government would be finalized in April next year
December 7—42nd Government of the Philippines and MILF Exploratory Talks end.
2014
January 24—43rd Government of the Philippines and MILF Exploratory Talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia start allowing for the completion of the normalization annex.
The normalization annex deals with the overall security in the new Bangsamoro that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the timeframe and manner by which the Moro rebels are expected to lay down their arms.
This could be the final round of negotiations between the two panels should they agree on the last annex that would make up the comprehensive peace agreement aimed.
January 25— The Philippine government and the MILF agree to sign the last annex of the Bangsamoro framework, sealing the peace pact that seeks to end the decades-long Muslim secessionist movement in the country
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/569219/the-way-to-peace-in-mindanao
Final annex signing ‘major milestone’ but ‘long way to go’ for peace in Mindanao
From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jan 25): Final annex signing ‘major milestone’ but ‘long way to go’ for peace in Mindanao
The last annex of the peace pact with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) may be considered a “major milestone”, but the road to peace is still a long way to go, a government negotiator said Saturday.
The last annex of the peace pact with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) may be considered a “major milestone”, but the road to peace is still a long way to go, a government negotiator said Saturday.
At the heart of the annex is the decommissioning or the
laying down of arms by the MILF and the silencing of the guns of the
government.
“It takes a long time. We have targets, but as always we are
flexible,” Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said in a live press conference at Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia
She added that by 2016, the regular institutions in the
Bangsamoro shall have been put in place.
These institutions will then be in charge of implementing
the other provisions for the decommissioning of firearms, Ferrer said.
In a separate statement, Teresita Quinto Deles, presidential
adviser on the peace process, said, “It has been a very difficult road arriving
at this major milestone of the peace process. This is indeed a
long-awaited moment that is a gift to our people at the start of a new year of
renewed hope and commitment.”
Deles, who is also in Kuala
Lumpur
“It has been a difficult road getting to here and we know
that the path ahead will continue to be fraught with challenges,” she said.
Deles said there would be new
arrangements and mechanisms set up for the government and the MILF to ensure
the transformation of MILF forces and conflict-affected communities from the
harsh ways of war to the nurturance of partnership and cooperation.
She said President Benigno Aquino III’s vision, compassion
and his love and resolve for Mindanao has brought a new era for the Bangsamoro,
where dreams of peace and prosperity would begin to overcome the nightmares of
the past.
The signing of the last of the four
annexes would complete the Bangsamoro Framework, sealing
the agreement that seeks to end the decades-long Muslim secessionist movement
by MILF.
The last document signed was the normalization annex which
would discuss the laying down of arms of the MILF. Another addendum signed
delineated the Bangsamoro territorial waters.
The MILF, which has been pushing for secession for decades,
signed with the Philippine government the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro
in October 2012.
With the completion of the documents, a separate political
entity called the Bangsamoro Political Entity will replace the Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Both parties have also signed the annexes on transitional
arrangements and modalities, revenue generation and wealth sharing, and power
sharing.
The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), which
comprises the four annexes, will be signed in Manila
While other armed groups remain, turning the Moro rebel
group into a government ally is seen as a key step to end the Muslim
insurgency.
Deles commended the government and the MILF panels
particularly MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad and the members of the MILF Central
Committee for the trust and commitment to see the negotiations and the
subsequent implementation of the agreement to completion.
She also thanked the Malaysian facilitator, Tengku Dato
Abdul Ghafar, together with his hard-working secretariat, and the government of
Malaysia
“In a world looking for peaceful solutions to all
troubles, we are grateful that we have found ours. Let us all seal
it and nurture it. The best is yet to come,” she said.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/569293/final-annex-signing-major-milestone-but-long-way-to-go-for-peace-in-mindanaoNo surrender for MILF in historic normalization annex
From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jan 25): No surrender for MILF in historic normalization annex
The signing of the normalization annex under the Bangsamoro agreement does not mean that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is surrendering, its chief negotiator said Saturday.
The signing of the normalization annex under the Bangsamoro agreement does not mean that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is surrendering, its chief negotiator said Saturday.
“There is no element of surrender. No destruction of
firearms,” Mohagher Iqbal said in a live press conference at Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia
He added that the normalization annex delineated the laying
down of firearms by the MILF, but that it noted that these firearms would only
be “put beyond use.”
Philippine government peace panel chair Miriam
Coronel-Ferrer said too that the process for decommissioning of firearms is a
“gradual process.”
“Upon the signing, we cannot expect that we have a complete
change in the situation,” she said.
Both panels remain hopeful, though, that the signing of the
last annex seals the deal in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro,
which would be signed in Manila
The MILF, which has been pushing for secession for decades,
signed with the Philippine government the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro
in October 2012.
Both parties have also signed the annexes on transitional
arrangements and modalities, revenue generation and wealth sharing, and power
sharing.
The panels also signed the addendum that delineates the
Bangsamoro territorial waters.
Once the documents are completed, a separate political
entity called the Bangsamoro Political Entity will replace the Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
The peace agreement with the MILF is one of the cornerstones
of the administration of President Benigno Aquino III.
Turning the Moro rebel group into a government ally is seen
as a key step to end the Muslim insurgency, especially as other armed groups
remain.
For one, the Moro National Liberation Front, where the MILF
broke off, attacked Zamboanga City
ARMM chief hails signing of last annex; BIFF, MNLF voice misgivings
From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jan 25): ARMM chief hails signing of last annex; BIFF, MNLF voice misgivings
DAVAO CITY – Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao praised the peace panels of the Philippine government
and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front for signing the Annex on Normalization,
the last of four documents that make up the Comprehensive Agreement on the
Bangsamoro.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/569343/armm-chief-hails-signing-of-last-annex-biff-mnlf-voice-misgivings
DAVAO CITY – Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao praised the peace panels of the Philippine government
and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front for signing the Annex on Normalization,
the last of four documents that make up the Comprehensive Agreement on the
Bangsamoro.
“We commend the panels for persevering and braving the
needed sacrifices and heeding the clamor of the great majority of Filipino for
a peaceful resolution to the decades-old conflict in Mindanao ,”
Hataman said in a statement. “We also congratulate all those who took part, the
leaders and individuals, who have, directly or indirectly, become part of this
success— a leap to our collective endeavor in attaining peace in this part of
the country.”
Hataman said the ARMM government had also worked hard to
support the Framework on the Bangsamoro and in preparing a successful
transition of power.
“Since the signing of the Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro,
the autonomous regional government has committed to offer its full support to
the southern peace process. And as we promised, we are more than willing to
sacrifice while we prepare the bureaucracy for a smooth transition of power
towards the new political setup,” Hataman said.
“My administration gladly submits to the provisions agreed
upon by both parties for we believe it is for the greater good,” added Hataman.
He noted that despite years of being “unsuccessful in
bringing basic services to its people especially those living in remote areas,”
the present administration was able to bring in significant changes in the
troubled region.
“But in our two years in office, we have shown that we can
change this, that we are determined to institute reforms aimed at addressing
lingering development issues common to all component provinces of the region,”
Hataman said.
Hataman said the present ARMM government is confident that
the Aquino administration will be able to fully implement the agreement.
“We are optimistic that with the strong political will of
His Excellency, President Benigno Aquino III, and consensus of the Filipino
people, through transparency and proper consultation, the agreement will see
implementation,” Hataman said.
On the other hand, Abu Misry Mama, spokesperson of the
Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, said they were pessimistic about the
outcome of the peace negotiations, saying the Moro Islamic Liberation Front had
accepted compromises in the annexes.
The BIFF had broken away from the MILF over disgreements
regarding the peace talks.
The talks went through many difficulties, most especially in
the crafting of the annexes, and the BIFF doubts that it would be able to pass
through Congress without more compromises, Mama said.
“The deal is already ok on the level of the peace panels but
what about the Congress?” said Mama.
The BIFF said they do not believe that the agreement will be
passed or implemented under the Aquino leadership.
However, despite the disagreements between the Central
Committee of the MILF and the leadership of the BIFF on the conduct of the
peace negotiations, Mama said the splinter group would not sabotage the peace
process.
“We promise that the BIFF has never and will not sabotage
the peace negotiations,” Mama said.
Lawyer Emmanuel Fontanilla, legal counsel of the Misuari
faction of the Moro National Liberation Front, said they were happy for the
MILF that it made headway in the negotiations.
But Fontanilla reminded the MILF that peace and development
in Mindanao could be achieved only through
independence.
“It is a political charade,” Fontanilla said of the peace
talks.
Mama said many members of the MILF would shift and join the
BIFF if the agreement is further watered down in Congress.
“We are positive that more MILF fighters will not surrender
their arms and join us,” Mama said.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/569343/armm-chief-hails-signing-of-last-annex-biff-mnlf-voice-misgivings
Plane bidder to undergo post-qualification phase
From the Manila Standard Today (Jan 25): Plane bidder to undergo post-qualification phase
After the Defense department announced Monday an eligible bidder for supplying three Philippine Air Force planes worth P5.3 billion, it said a post qualification phase will “determine whether the winning bidder has the capability to undertake the project”.
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/01/25/plane-bidder-to-undergo-post-qualification-phase/
After the Defense department announced Monday an eligible bidder for supplying three Philippine Air Force planes worth P5.3 billion, it said a post qualification phase will “determine whether the winning bidder has the capability to undertake the project”.
Defense officials
said EADS CASA-Airbus Military had the best offer at the opening of bids on
January 13, 2014 over that PT Dirgantara Indonesia
Only two firms
submitted their bids for three medium fixed-wing aircraft under the armed
forces modernization program on record.
But another
company said the parties had violated the conflict-of-interest rule in the
process.
Citing documents,
AleniaAermachi said bid guidelines and RA 9184 or the Government Procurement
Act, find a conflict situation when “A Bidder has a relationship, directly or
through third parties, that puts them in a position to have access to
information about or influence on the bid of another Bidder or influence the
decisions of the Procuring Entity regarding this bidding process.”
The firm said the
parties failed to inform the bids and awards committee about their partnership
as disclosed in their respective websites.
According to
AleniaAermachi, Airbus Military says CASA and Nurtanio (the predecessor of
PTDI) launched CN235 and that PTDI is its supplier on the C212 and CN235
light/medium transport and surveillance aircraft.
The company
likewise cites PT Dirgantara’s website posting that it produces aircraft parts,
components, tools and fixtures for A320/321/330/340/350/380 of Airbus, for MK2
and EC725 of Eurocopter and for CN235, C212-400 and C295 of Airbus Military.
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/01/25/plane-bidder-to-undergo-post-qualification-phase/
Peace deal key to more US aid for Mindanao
From the Manila Standard Today (Jan 25): Peace deal key to more US aid for Mindanao
WASHINGTON
has committed to provide economic assistance to Mindanao
with the expected conclusion of the peace negotiations between the government
and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/01/25/peace-deal-key-to-more-us-aid-for-mindanao/
“The US will support the government of the Philippines as they go about the peace efforts –
specially we can help in the underpinning any agreement with economic
assistance and advises so that people can build on that peaceful resolution,”
United States Ambassador Philip Goldberg said in an interview from Zamboanga City
“We are not part
of the talks but we what want to do is to support the peaceful resolution. We
will try to help, support the process, even though we are not part of it,”
Goldberg added.
The government
and the MILF expect to conclude on Sunday the disarmament (normalization) annex
and an additional agreement on Bangsamoro waters – the last two remaining
documents before a comprehensive peace agreement can be signed – during
the ongoing negotiations in Kuala
Lumpur
Goldberg flew to
Mindanao to sign an agreement with local government officials of Zamboanga City
A faction of the
Moro National Liberation Front has already expressed willingness to start unity
talks with the MILF.
Muslimin Sema,
chairman of the MNLF Council, said his group is not opposed to the peace pact
between the government and the MILF, but he underscored the need to respect the
1996 final peace agreement between the government and the MNLF.
Sema said the
unity talks must be brokered by the influential 57-member Organization of
Islamic Cooperation.
“We are waiting
for the proposal from the OIC for the MNLF and the MILF to have a forum that
would discuss how the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro and the 1996
government-MNLF agreement can possibly be harmonized,” Sema added.
The government
earlier called on the MNLF to help in the Bangsamoro Basic Law that would pave
the way for the replacement of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
“Peace
negotiations between the government and the MILF are coming to a close, with
the projected outcome being the enactment of a new law that will put in place
the Bangsamoro government with all its improved provisions for achieving a
strengthened autonomy in the region,” presidential peace adviser Teresita Deles
said.
“As has been
explained by the government and the MILF repeatedly, the BBL is not just for
the MILF but for the entire Bangsamoro people. We continue to hope that the
various MNLF leadership blocs will come around to seeing the value of engaging
themselves, together with other Bangsamoro stakeholders, in crafting the best
possible law for the Bangsamoro,” Deles added.
The OIC has
already called for a mechanism to ensure that the gains of the 1996 FPA are
“preserved” and that the Bangsamoro Basic Law will “integrate these gains.”
The basic law is
currently being crafted by a 15-man Bangsamoro Transition Commission.
MNLF founding
chairman Nur Misuari, who has gone into hiding after an arrest warrant was
issued against him over the Zamboanga siege in October, was earlier invited to
join the Transition Commission but he declined.
Once a
comprehensive peace pact is signed, the draft BBL will be submitted to Congress
and will be certified as urgent by the President.
Aquino earlier
said the target is to have the law passed at the latest by mid-2015, after
which a plebiscite will be held in the areas that will form part of the
Bangsamoro.
The President
said an interim authority must be in place for the Bangsamoro a year before the
2016 national elections.
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/01/25/peace-deal-key-to-more-us-aid-for-mindanao/
Photo: Another step closer to peace
From GMA News (Jan 25): Photo: Another step closer to peace
Government peace panel head Miriam Coronel-Ferrer shakes hands with MILF chief negotiator Mohaghe Iqbal after the signing of the normalization annex and the addendum on the Bangsamoro waters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as Malaysian facilitator Tengku Gafhar looks on. Joseph Morong, GMA News
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/photo/52719/another-step-closer-to-peace
Government peace panel head Miriam Coronel-Ferrer shakes hands with MILF chief negotiator Mohaghe Iqbal after the signing of the normalization annex and the addendum on the Bangsamoro waters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as Malaysian facilitator Tengku Gafhar looks on. Joseph Morong, GMA News
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/photo/52719/another-step-closer-to-peace
PHL, MILF agree to peace in comprehensive pact
From GMA News (Jan 25): PHL, MILF agree to peace in comprehensive pact
KUALA LUMPUR - The Philippine government on Saturday agreed on the final chapter of peace talks with the country's largest Muslim separatist group, clearing the last hurdle to an historic pact to end four decades of conflict that has killed tens of thousands.
KUALA LUMPUR - The Philippine government on Saturday agreed on the final chapter of peace talks with the country's largest Muslim separatist group, clearing the last hurdle to an historic pact to end four decades of conflict that has killed tens of thousands.
Representatives from the Philippine government and the 11,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed the final and most challenging Annex on Normalization—the fourth part of a peace roadmap that was set out in October 2012.
The conclusion of the talks, held in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, paves the way for the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) that will allow the rebel group to set up an autonomous government to run parts of the poor, but resource-rich southern island of Mindanao in exchange for decommissioning their weapons.
"It marks the end of a process, which is the formal negotiations," said Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, the Philippine government's chief negotiator.
"It also marks the beginning of the bigger challenge ahead which is the challenge of implementation."
Two previous laws set up autonomous governments for Muslims in the south of the mainly Roman Catholic country, but poor implementation and a lack of legitimacy meant the separatist violence continued to fester.
Larger territory, expanded powers
The new proposed autonomous region will replace the existing five-province Muslim autonomous region, with a larger territory, expanded jurisdiction and greater powers to generate taxes.
The Annex on Normalization was seen as particularly sensitive because it dealt with the decommissioning of the MILF's huge stockpile of weapons.
"There's a lot of sacrifices on the part of MILF," said Mohagher Iqbal, the MILF's chief peace negotiator told a news conference.
"To pay for peace, real peace, in Mindanao, we have to decommission our forces and put them behind us."
Iqbal said the exact number of combatants involved in the disarmament process has not been finalized, but will be subject to verification and validation by an independent decommissioning body.
"There will be no element of surrender. There will be no destruction of firearms. It merely says the firearms will be put to un-use. How that is defined will depend on the body," Iqbal said.
Malaysia has hosted peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the MILF since 2001 to end a rebellion that has killed 120,000 people and displaced 2 million.
Once the pact is formally signed, legislators can begin drafting the Bangsamoro Basic Law to formally set up the new political entity.
"We already have a roadmap signed under the first annex. The main target for that roadmap is to be able to successfully complete everything by the end of this administration, which is 2016," said Coronel-Ferrer.
"Upon the signing, we cannot expect that we will have a complete change in the situation. Everything will have to go through a gradual and phase process."
Gov't, Muslim rebels clear final peace deal hurdle
From ABS-CBN (Jan 25): Gov't, Muslim rebels clear final peace deal hurdle
KUALA LUMPUR (1st UPDATE) - The Philippine government and Muslim rebels said Saturday they had cleared the last hurdle in long-running peace negotiations aimed at ending a deadly decades-old insurgency in the country's south.
President Benigno Aquino hopes to secure a final peace settlement before leaving office in mid-2016 to end the rebellion by Muslim groups, which has left 150,000 people dead.
Negotiators met from Wednesday on the outskirts of Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur to tackle a "normalisation" deal detailing how the rebels will hand over their weapons and the creation of a security force to police what would be a self-ruled Muslim area.
The deal is the last of four power-sharing accords that must be agreed between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels, before a final peace deal can be signed.
Chief government negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said both sides had completed discussions on the "normalisation" deal, marking the "end of a process, which is the formal negotiations".
"The peace process... is aimed to really bring about a good foundation for sustainable peace and development in Mindanao (in southern Philippines) and in that sense we consider this a very important development," Ferrer told reporters.
She added "the bigger challenge of implementation" lay ahead with the target "to substantially complete everything by the end of this administration in 2016".
MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said a final peace deal, formally ending the negotiations, was expected to be signed "very soon" to pave the way for peace.
"From A to Z it has been full of challenges. But with the cooperation and determination of all parties... I think no obstacles will stand in the way, God willing," he told reporters.
Neither Ferrer nor Iqbal gave details of how MILF would decommission its 12,000-strong armed forces, with Ferrer saying it would be a "gradual and phased process".
"For peace, real peace in Mindanao, we have to decommission our forces," Iqbal said. "There is no element of surrender."
Aquino warned last month that disarming the MILF would be a "heavy and contentious" issue.
Apart from the MILF, many other armed groups operate in the south, including former rebels who have resorted to banditry and terrorism.
The insurgency, which began in the 1970s, has left parts of the southern Philippines mired in deep poverty and instability.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/01/25/14/govt-muslim-rebels-clear-final-peace-deal-hurdle
President Benigno Aquino hopes to secure a final peace settlement before leaving office in mid-2016 to end the rebellion by Muslim groups, which has left 150,000 people dead.
Negotiators met from Wednesday on the outskirts of Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur to tackle a "normalisation" deal detailing how the rebels will hand over their weapons and the creation of a security force to police what would be a self-ruled Muslim area.
The deal is the last of four power-sharing accords that must be agreed between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels, before a final peace deal can be signed.
Chief government negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said both sides had completed discussions on the "normalisation" deal, marking the "end of a process, which is the formal negotiations".
"The peace process... is aimed to really bring about a good foundation for sustainable peace and development in Mindanao (in southern Philippines) and in that sense we consider this a very important development," Ferrer told reporters.
She added "the bigger challenge of implementation" lay ahead with the target "to substantially complete everything by the end of this administration in 2016".
MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said a final peace deal, formally ending the negotiations, was expected to be signed "very soon" to pave the way for peace.
"From A to Z it has been full of challenges. But with the cooperation and determination of all parties... I think no obstacles will stand in the way, God willing," he told reporters.
Neither Ferrer nor Iqbal gave details of how MILF would decommission its 12,000-strong armed forces, with Ferrer saying it would be a "gradual and phased process".
"For peace, real peace in Mindanao, we have to decommission our forces," Iqbal said. "There is no element of surrender."
Aquino warned last month that disarming the MILF would be a "heavy and contentious" issue.
Apart from the MILF, many other armed groups operate in the south, including former rebels who have resorted to banditry and terrorism.
The insurgency, which began in the 1970s, has left parts of the southern Philippines mired in deep poverty and instability.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/01/25/14/govt-muslim-rebels-clear-final-peace-deal-hurdle
Reds hold guards workers hostage
From the Visayan Daily Star (Jan 25): Reds hold guards workers hostage
New People’s Army rebels who burned the properties of an hacienda owner in Brgy. Camansi, Kabankalan City, Thursday, also held 25 farm workers, and their children, and four security guards hostage, for almost 10 hours, Col. Jon Aying, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said yesterday.
“It was a traumatic experience for the hostages, especially the children,” Aying said.
Police investigation showed that the rebel suspects, five of them women, torched the warehouse and the tractor of Hacienda Isabel that is owned by the family of the late Kabankalan Mayor Pablo Sola, beheaded some of the sheep, and disarmed the four security guards of three shotguns and a .38 caliber revolver.
The former mayor had been killed in an ambush in the 1980s.
The rebels left the hostages unharmed.
Asked about the delayed response of the Army soldiers and policemen, Aying said they are “cautious” about the modus operandi of the rebels in ambushing government troopers responding to NPA atrocities.
The scene of the incident, which is about 15 kilometers from the Kabankalan City proper is about three kilometers from a police detachment.
Supt. Salvador Dagoon, Kabankalan police officer-in-charge, admitted in an interview over MBC Aksyon Radyo that they arrived at the hacienda raided by the NPA at about noon Thursday, almost 12 hours after the rebels had occupied the area.
In May last year, five Army soldiers, who were responding to arson activities of the NPA in Brgy. Camindangan, Sipalay City, were killed in an ambush staged by rebels. They also lost five high-powered firearms to the NPA.
Aying said the agrarian-reform dispute between the hacienda owner and beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program was taken advantage of by the NPA, in order to win the support of the CARP recipients.
Soldiers of the 47th Infantry Battalion are now conducting manhunt operations against the fleeing rebels, he said.
Two weeks ago, suspected NPA assassins also killed CAFGU member Ricky Camacho in Brgy. Magballo, Kabankalan City.
Aying noted that the CPP-NPA rebels are getting more violent, and said they have turned into “lawless criminals.”
Maj. Gen. Aurelio Baladad, 3rd Infantry Division commander, condemned the latest atrocities committed by the NPA, as the rebels did not spare non-combatants, especially civilians.
“It is a very clear violation of the International Humanitarian Law,” Baladad said.
http://www.visayandailystar.com/2014/January/25/topstory6.htm
New People’s Army rebels who burned the properties of an hacienda owner in Brgy. Camansi, Kabankalan City, Thursday, also held 25 farm workers, and their children, and four security guards hostage, for almost 10 hours, Col. Jon Aying, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said yesterday.
“It was a traumatic experience for the hostages, especially the children,” Aying said.
Police investigation showed that the rebel suspects, five of them women, torched the warehouse and the tractor of Hacienda Isabel that is owned by the family of the late Kabankalan Mayor Pablo Sola, beheaded some of the sheep, and disarmed the four security guards of three shotguns and a .38 caliber revolver.
The former mayor had been killed in an ambush in the 1980s.
The rebels left the hostages unharmed.
Asked about the delayed response of the Army soldiers and policemen, Aying said they are “cautious” about the modus operandi of the rebels in ambushing government troopers responding to NPA atrocities.
The scene of the incident, which is about 15 kilometers from the Kabankalan City proper is about three kilometers from a police detachment.
Supt. Salvador Dagoon, Kabankalan police officer-in-charge, admitted in an interview over MBC Aksyon Radyo that they arrived at the hacienda raided by the NPA at about noon Thursday, almost 12 hours after the rebels had occupied the area.
In May last year, five Army soldiers, who were responding to arson activities of the NPA in Brgy. Camindangan, Sipalay City, were killed in an ambush staged by rebels. They also lost five high-powered firearms to the NPA.
Aying said the agrarian-reform dispute between the hacienda owner and beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program was taken advantage of by the NPA, in order to win the support of the CARP recipients.
Soldiers of the 47th Infantry Battalion are now conducting manhunt operations against the fleeing rebels, he said.
Two weeks ago, suspected NPA assassins also killed CAFGU member Ricky Camacho in Brgy. Magballo, Kabankalan City.
Aying noted that the CPP-NPA rebels are getting more violent, and said they have turned into “lawless criminals.”
Maj. Gen. Aurelio Baladad, 3rd Infantry Division commander, condemned the latest atrocities committed by the NPA, as the rebels did not spare non-combatants, especially civilians.
“It is a very clear violation of the International Humanitarian Law,” Baladad said.
http://www.visayandailystar.com/2014/January/25/topstory6.htm
Peace pact signing still uncertain
From the Visayan Daily Star (Jan 25): Peace pact signing still uncertain
The signing of a closure agreement to the peace talks between the government and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas-Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (Tabara Paduano Group) by President Benigno Aquino is still uncertain, two years after the draft memorandum of agreement was completed.
OPPAP Undersecretary Maria Cleofe Gettie Sandoval, who met yesterday with top military commanders in Negros and Panay, said the draft closure agreement underwent a review by the Office of the President before it was forwarded to President Aquino.
Sandoval said the delay in its approval was due to the “due diligence review”.
She added that President Aquino wants the OPPAP to ensure that what will be signed in the closure agreement will be thoroughly implemented, as he scrutinized the provisions of MOA one by one.
Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon had earlier expressed dismay over the delay in the signing of the closure agreement.
Asked if OPPAP has a time table for the signing, Sandoval said they hope that they accomplish the due diligence that the Office of the President is looking for and that they really wanted to sign the agreement way back then.
There is no major reason or doubt on the intent between the government and the RPA-ABB (Tabara Paduano Group), it is just the staff work that they need to put into the agreement, she said.
Other agencies involved are the departments of National Defense, Justice, Agrarian Reform, Agriculture and the Environment as well as Natural Resources.
With their scheduled meeting again with the President, Sandoval said “We are hoping that we can give definite answers to all his (President Aquino) questions” for the agreement to be signed.
She thanked the RPA-ABB Tabara Paduano Group members for their patience.
Sandoval also announced the renewal of the contract this year for the RPA-ABB members to be hired as forest rangers by the DENR, in support of the livelihood component of the agreement.
Sandoval said 35 more RPA-ABB members will be hired as forest rangers, on top of the 95 included in the contract last year, most of whom are stationed in Negros island.
Maj. Gen. Aurelio Baladad, 3rd Infantry Division commander, said they are coordinating with the RPA-ABB on the security aspect, following the assassination of one of their leaders by the New People’s Army in Panay island.
The peace talks between the government and the RPM-P/RPA-ABB began in December 2000, under the administration of then President Joseph Estrada.
http://www.visayandailystar.com/2014/January/25/topstory5.htm
The signing of a closure agreement to the peace talks between the government and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas-Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (Tabara Paduano Group) by President Benigno Aquino is still uncertain, two years after the draft memorandum of agreement was completed.
OPPAP Undersecretary Maria Cleofe Gettie Sandoval, who met yesterday with top military commanders in Negros and Panay, said the draft closure agreement underwent a review by the Office of the President before it was forwarded to President Aquino.
Sandoval said the delay in its approval was due to the “due diligence review”.
She added that President Aquino wants the OPPAP to ensure that what will be signed in the closure agreement will be thoroughly implemented, as he scrutinized the provisions of MOA one by one.
Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon had earlier expressed dismay over the delay in the signing of the closure agreement.
Asked if OPPAP has a time table for the signing, Sandoval said they hope that they accomplish the due diligence that the Office of the President is looking for and that they really wanted to sign the agreement way back then.
There is no major reason or doubt on the intent between the government and the RPA-ABB (Tabara Paduano Group), it is just the staff work that they need to put into the agreement, she said.
Other agencies involved are the departments of National Defense, Justice, Agrarian Reform, Agriculture and the Environment as well as Natural Resources.
With their scheduled meeting again with the President, Sandoval said “We are hoping that we can give definite answers to all his (President Aquino) questions” for the agreement to be signed.
She thanked the RPA-ABB Tabara Paduano Group members for their patience.
Sandoval also announced the renewal of the contract this year for the RPA-ABB members to be hired as forest rangers by the DENR, in support of the livelihood component of the agreement.
Sandoval said 35 more RPA-ABB members will be hired as forest rangers, on top of the 95 included in the contract last year, most of whom are stationed in Negros island.
Maj. Gen. Aurelio Baladad, 3rd Infantry Division commander, said they are coordinating with the RPA-ABB on the security aspect, following the assassination of one of their leaders by the New People’s Army in Panay island.
The peace talks between the government and the RPM-P/RPA-ABB began in December 2000, under the administration of then President Joseph Estrada.
http://www.visayandailystar.com/2014/January/25/topstory5.htm
OPAPP: Statement of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos Deles on the Joint Signing of the Annex on Normalization and Addendum on Bangsamoro Waters by the GPH and the MILF Panels
From the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) (Jan 25): Statement of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos Deles on the Joint Signing of the Annex on Normalization and Addendum on Bangsamoro Waters by the GPH and the MILF Panels
Today the GPH and the MILF jointly signed the Annex on Normalization, the last of the four Annexes to the GPH-MILF Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB), which was completed on 15 October 2012. This paves the way for the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). This is indeed a long-awaited moment that is a gift to our people at the start of a new year of renewed hope and commitment.
It has been a very difficult road arriving at this major milestone of the peace process. The crafting of each of the four Annexes, together with the additional Addendum on Bangsamoro Waters, underwent painstaking deliberation by the two parties, backed up by thorough discussion and internal consensus-building on each side of the negotiating table, and grounded on extensive consultations with concerned local government units, religious and civil society leaders, and communities especially in the conflict-affected areas. 2013 saw very serious challenges to the peace process which both sides were able to overcome with deep faith that, indeed, peace is possible for those who persist and persevere.
On the side of GPH, the work of our negotiating panel always included rigorous study and due diligence undertaken with concerned Cabinet members and agency heads who pushed and pulled to extend the limits of possibilities for good and democratic governance in the area of autonomy. In crafting the annexes, the GPH panel sought at every point to abide by the President's instructions that all peace agreements to be signed must be consistent with the constitution, including its flexibilities; must reflect the hard lessons learned from our past peacemaking efforts; and must be in accordance with the capacity of the parties to deliver politically, economically, culturally and in all ways necessary.
It has been a difficult road getting to here and we know that the path ahead will continue to be fraught with challenges. As we celebrate this moment, we also affirm our readiness to undertake the tasks that shall ensure the full and satisfactory implementation of this agreement, together with the MILF, other partners and stakeholders.
In moving forward, our legislators will take on the crucial role of enacting the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which the Bangsamoro Transition Commission is now drafting. There will be new arrangements and mechanisms set up for the GPH and the MILF, assisted by selected third-parties and independent bodies, to work together on the multiple tracks that will ensure the transformation of MILF forces and conflict-affected communities from the harsh ways of war to the nurturance of partnership and cooperation - all these to unleash the unlimited potentials for the development of Mindanao, especially for the communities so long left behind.
President Aquino's vision and compassion and his love and resolve for Mindanao has brought us to this new era of the Bangsamoro, where dreams of peace and prosperity may begin to overcome the nightmares of the past.
We thank and commend the GPH and the MILF panels and all the members of their teams for their patience and creativity and for remaining steadfast in their roles as problem-solvers and peacemakers. We thank MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad and the members of the MILF Central Committee for the trust and commitment to see the negotiations and the subsequent implementation of the FAB to completion.
Lastly, we acknowledge with deep gratitude our Malaysian facilitator, Tengku Dato Abdul Ghafar, together with his hard-working secretariat, and the government of Malaysia for their hospitality and fraternal guidance, as the third-party facilitator for the peace talks. To our fellow advocates and partners in the international community, especially the members of the International Contact Group: Thank-you for bearing with us in keeping the faith.
In a world looking for peaceful solutions to all troubles, we are grateful that we have found ours. Let us all seal it - and nurture it. The best is yet to come.
http://www.opapp.gov.ph/milf/news/statement-presidential-adviser-peace-process-teresita-quintos-deles-joint-signing-annex
Today the GPH and the MILF jointly signed the Annex on Normalization, the last of the four Annexes to the GPH-MILF Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB), which was completed on 15 October 2012. This paves the way for the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). This is indeed a long-awaited moment that is a gift to our people at the start of a new year of renewed hope and commitment.
It has been a very difficult road arriving at this major milestone of the peace process. The crafting of each of the four Annexes, together with the additional Addendum on Bangsamoro Waters, underwent painstaking deliberation by the two parties, backed up by thorough discussion and internal consensus-building on each side of the negotiating table, and grounded on extensive consultations with concerned local government units, religious and civil society leaders, and communities especially in the conflict-affected areas. 2013 saw very serious challenges to the peace process which both sides were able to overcome with deep faith that, indeed, peace is possible for those who persist and persevere.
On the side of GPH, the work of our negotiating panel always included rigorous study and due diligence undertaken with concerned Cabinet members and agency heads who pushed and pulled to extend the limits of possibilities for good and democratic governance in the area of autonomy. In crafting the annexes, the GPH panel sought at every point to abide by the President's instructions that all peace agreements to be signed must be consistent with the constitution, including its flexibilities; must reflect the hard lessons learned from our past peacemaking efforts; and must be in accordance with the capacity of the parties to deliver politically, economically, culturally and in all ways necessary.
It has been a difficult road getting to here and we know that the path ahead will continue to be fraught with challenges. As we celebrate this moment, we also affirm our readiness to undertake the tasks that shall ensure the full and satisfactory implementation of this agreement, together with the MILF, other partners and stakeholders.
In moving forward, our legislators will take on the crucial role of enacting the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which the Bangsamoro Transition Commission is now drafting. There will be new arrangements and mechanisms set up for the GPH and the MILF, assisted by selected third-parties and independent bodies, to work together on the multiple tracks that will ensure the transformation of MILF forces and conflict-affected communities from the harsh ways of war to the nurturance of partnership and cooperation - all these to unleash the unlimited potentials for the development of Mindanao, especially for the communities so long left behind.
President Aquino's vision and compassion and his love and resolve for Mindanao has brought us to this new era of the Bangsamoro, where dreams of peace and prosperity may begin to overcome the nightmares of the past.
We thank and commend the GPH and the MILF panels and all the members of their teams for their patience and creativity and for remaining steadfast in their roles as problem-solvers and peacemakers. We thank MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad and the members of the MILF Central Committee for the trust and commitment to see the negotiations and the subsequent implementation of the FAB to completion.
Lastly, we acknowledge with deep gratitude our Malaysian facilitator, Tengku Dato Abdul Ghafar, together with his hard-working secretariat, and the government of Malaysia for their hospitality and fraternal guidance, as the third-party facilitator for the peace talks. To our fellow advocates and partners in the international community, especially the members of the International Contact Group: Thank-you for bearing with us in keeping the faith.
In a world looking for peaceful solutions to all troubles, we are grateful that we have found ours. Let us all seal it - and nurture it. The best is yet to come.
http://www.opapp.gov.ph/milf/news/statement-presidential-adviser-peace-process-teresita-quintos-deles-joint-signing-annex
Gov’t, MILF clinch peace deal
From the Sun Star (Jan 25): Gov’t, MILF clinch peace deal
The Philippine government and the country's largest Muslim rebel group completed talks Saturday on a deal to end four decades of fighting that has killed tens of thousands of people and helped foster Islamic extremism in Southeast Asia.
The accord between Filipino negotiators and the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) calls for Muslim self-rule in parts of the southern Philippines in exchange for the deactivation of the rebel force. Military presence in the proposed autonomous region would be restricted.
Much now will depend on how the accord is enforced, in particular whether the 11,000-strong rebel forces are able to maintain security in areas they would come under their control. At least four other smaller Muslim rebel groups are still fighting Manila's rule in the southern Mindanao region, and could act as spoilers.
Officials from both sides announced the conclusion of talks in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, which has brokered the yearslong negotiations. The accord and three other pacts signed last year make up a final peace agreement that is to be signed in the Philippine capital, Manila, possibly next month, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.
"This will give the just and lasting peace that our brothers in Mindanao are seeking." said Lacierda, referring to the volatile southern region and homeland of minority Muslims in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation.
Government negotiators, some teary-eyed, embraced each other after the conclusion of the talks. Chief government negotiator Miriam Ferrer hailed the progress and said "good luck to everyone on the next stage, the implementation stage."
Saturday's accord marks the most significant progress during 13 years of on-and-off negotiations with the Moro fighters to tame a tenacious insurgency that has left more than 120,000 people dead and derailed development in Muslim-populated southern regions that are among the most destitute in the Philippines.
The United States and other Western governments have supported the talks, worried that rebel strongholds could become breeding grounds for al-Qaida-linked extremists who have sought sanctuary in the region in the past.
Under the peace deal, the Moro insurgents agreed to end violence in exchange for broader autonomy. An existing five-province Muslim autonomous region is to be replaced by a more powerful, better-funded and potentially larger region to be called Bangsamoro.
Despite the milestone, both the government and the rebels acknowledged that violence would not end overnight in a region that has long grappled with a volatile mix of crushing poverty, huge numbers of illegal firearms, clan wars and weak law enforcement.
One rebel group vowed to keep fighting.
"We will continue the struggle," said Abu Misri, spokesman of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement, which broke off from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front three years ago. "What we want is an Islamic state, an Islamic people, an Islamic constitution," he told The Associated Press by telephone Saturday.
Rebels from another group, the Moro National Liberation Front, took scores of hostages in September when they seized coastal communities in southern Zamboanga city after accusing the government of reneging on its commitments under a 1996 autonomy deal. Thousands of troops ended the 10-day uprising with a major offensive that killed more than 200 people, most of them insurgents.
Late Friday, four explosions damaged a gymnasium and the main gate of the town hall of Malabang municipality in southern Lanao del Sur province. Police said it was not immediately clear if groups opposed to the talks were involved.
Presidential adviser on the peace process Teresita Deles said that turning the main Moro rebel group from a major national security concern to a strategic ally would be the major dividend of the talks.
The accord Saturday outlined the gradual "decommissioning" of the rebel forces, some of whom could be absorbed into a regional security force. Another pact concluded involved the extent of control the proposed autonomous region would wield over resource-rich waters like the Sulu Sea.
Evan Jendruck from the IHS Jane's Terrorism and Insurgency Centre said the success of the new peace agreement hinges on the ability of the former Moro insurgents to put other armed groups under control. While the military would still have a presence in the new autonomous region, security would basically be in the hands of a Bangsamoro force composed of former insurgents.
"Will MILF be able to fill the power vacuum? If they don't do that, then the peace process won't go forward," Jendruck said.
Rebel negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said the peace process would not end with the signing of a peace accord. He said that a government-rebel council still needed to complete drafting a law creating the new autonomous region. The legislation then needed to get approval from Philippine Congress, where it is expected to come under intense scrutiny.
Despite the optimism, "let me caution ourselves this early that the final destination of this journey of peace is not within immediate reach yet," Iqbal said.
A preliminary peace accord that was about to be signed in Malaysia was turned down in 2008 by the Philippine Supreme Court, sparking rebel attacks on Christian communities that provoked a major military offensive and shattered a cease-fire.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breaking-news/2014/01/25/gov-t-milf-clinch-peace-deal-325027
The Philippine government and the country's largest Muslim rebel group completed talks Saturday on a deal to end four decades of fighting that has killed tens of thousands of people and helped foster Islamic extremism in Southeast Asia.
The accord between Filipino negotiators and the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) calls for Muslim self-rule in parts of the southern Philippines in exchange for the deactivation of the rebel force. Military presence in the proposed autonomous region would be restricted.
Much now will depend on how the accord is enforced, in particular whether the 11,000-strong rebel forces are able to maintain security in areas they would come under their control. At least four other smaller Muslim rebel groups are still fighting Manila's rule in the southern Mindanao region, and could act as spoilers.
Officials from both sides announced the conclusion of talks in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, which has brokered the yearslong negotiations. The accord and three other pacts signed last year make up a final peace agreement that is to be signed in the Philippine capital, Manila, possibly next month, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.
"This will give the just and lasting peace that our brothers in Mindanao are seeking." said Lacierda, referring to the volatile southern region and homeland of minority Muslims in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation.
Government negotiators, some teary-eyed, embraced each other after the conclusion of the talks. Chief government negotiator Miriam Ferrer hailed the progress and said "good luck to everyone on the next stage, the implementation stage."
Saturday's accord marks the most significant progress during 13 years of on-and-off negotiations with the Moro fighters to tame a tenacious insurgency that has left more than 120,000 people dead and derailed development in Muslim-populated southern regions that are among the most destitute in the Philippines.
The United States and other Western governments have supported the talks, worried that rebel strongholds could become breeding grounds for al-Qaida-linked extremists who have sought sanctuary in the region in the past.
Under the peace deal, the Moro insurgents agreed to end violence in exchange for broader autonomy. An existing five-province Muslim autonomous region is to be replaced by a more powerful, better-funded and potentially larger region to be called Bangsamoro.
Despite the milestone, both the government and the rebels acknowledged that violence would not end overnight in a region that has long grappled with a volatile mix of crushing poverty, huge numbers of illegal firearms, clan wars and weak law enforcement.
One rebel group vowed to keep fighting.
"We will continue the struggle," said Abu Misri, spokesman of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement, which broke off from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front three years ago. "What we want is an Islamic state, an Islamic people, an Islamic constitution," he told The Associated Press by telephone Saturday.
Rebels from another group, the Moro National Liberation Front, took scores of hostages in September when they seized coastal communities in southern Zamboanga city after accusing the government of reneging on its commitments under a 1996 autonomy deal. Thousands of troops ended the 10-day uprising with a major offensive that killed more than 200 people, most of them insurgents.
Late Friday, four explosions damaged a gymnasium and the main gate of the town hall of Malabang municipality in southern Lanao del Sur province. Police said it was not immediately clear if groups opposed to the talks were involved.
Presidential adviser on the peace process Teresita Deles said that turning the main Moro rebel group from a major national security concern to a strategic ally would be the major dividend of the talks.
The accord Saturday outlined the gradual "decommissioning" of the rebel forces, some of whom could be absorbed into a regional security force. Another pact concluded involved the extent of control the proposed autonomous region would wield over resource-rich waters like the Sulu Sea.
Evan Jendruck from the IHS Jane's Terrorism and Insurgency Centre said the success of the new peace agreement hinges on the ability of the former Moro insurgents to put other armed groups under control. While the military would still have a presence in the new autonomous region, security would basically be in the hands of a Bangsamoro force composed of former insurgents.
"Will MILF be able to fill the power vacuum? If they don't do that, then the peace process won't go forward," Jendruck said.
Rebel negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said the peace process would not end with the signing of a peace accord. He said that a government-rebel council still needed to complete drafting a law creating the new autonomous region. The legislation then needed to get approval from Philippine Congress, where it is expected to come under intense scrutiny.
Despite the optimism, "let me caution ourselves this early that the final destination of this journey of peace is not within immediate reach yet," Iqbal said.
A preliminary peace accord that was about to be signed in Malaysia was turned down in 2008 by the Philippine Supreme Court, sparking rebel attacks on Christian communities that provoked a major military offensive and shattered a cease-fire.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breaking-news/2014/01/25/gov-t-milf-clinch-peace-deal-325027
Philippines, MILF clinch peace deal
From the Philippine Star (Jan 25): Philippines, MILF clinch peace deal
The Philippine government and the country's largest Muslim rebel group completed talks Saturday on a deal to end four decades of fighting that has killed tens of thousands of people and helped foster Islamic extremism in Southeast Asia.
The accord between Filipino negotiators and the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front calls for Muslim self-rule in parts of the southern Philippines in exchange for the deactivation of the rebel force. Military presence in the proposed autonomous region would be restricted.
Much now will depend on how the accord is enforced, in particular whether the 11,000-strong rebel forces are able to maintain security in areas they would come under their control. At least four other smaller Muslim rebel groups are still fighting Manila's rule in the southern Mindanao region, and could act as spoilers.
Officials from both sides announced the conclusion of talks in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, which has brokered the years-long negotiations. The accord and three other pacts signed last year make up a final peace agreement that is to be signed in the Philippine capital, Manila, possibly next month, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.
"This will give the just and lasting peace that our brothers in Mindanao are seeking." said Lacierda, referring to the volatile southern region and homeland of minority Muslims in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation.
Government negotiators, some teary-eyed, embraced each other after the conclusion of the talks. Chief government negotiator Miriam Ferrer hailed the progress and said "good luck to everyone on the next stage, the implementation stage."
Saturday's accord marks the most significant progress during 13 years of on-and-off negotiations with the Moro fighters to tame a tenacious insurgency that has left more than 120,000 people dead and derailed development in Muslim-populated southern regions that are among the most destitute in the Philippines.
The United States and other Western governments have supported the talks, worried that rebel strongholds could become breeding grounds for al-Qaida-linked extremists who have sought sanctuary in the region in the past.
Under the peace deal, the Moro insurgents agreed to end violence in exchange for broader autonomy. An existing five-province Muslim autonomous region is to be replaced by a more powerful, better-funded and potentially larger region to be called Bangsamoro.
Despite the milestone, both the government and the rebels acknowledged that violence would not end overnight in a region that has long grappled with a volatile mix of crushing poverty, huge numbers of illegal firearms, clan wars and weak law enforcement.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/01/25/1282943/philippines-milf-clinch-peace-deal
The Philippine government and the country's largest Muslim rebel group completed talks Saturday on a deal to end four decades of fighting that has killed tens of thousands of people and helped foster Islamic extremism in Southeast Asia.
The accord between Filipino negotiators and the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front calls for Muslim self-rule in parts of the southern Philippines in exchange for the deactivation of the rebel force. Military presence in the proposed autonomous region would be restricted.
Much now will depend on how the accord is enforced, in particular whether the 11,000-strong rebel forces are able to maintain security in areas they would come under their control. At least four other smaller Muslim rebel groups are still fighting Manila's rule in the southern Mindanao region, and could act as spoilers.
Officials from both sides announced the conclusion of talks in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, which has brokered the years-long negotiations. The accord and three other pacts signed last year make up a final peace agreement that is to be signed in the Philippine capital, Manila, possibly next month, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.
"This will give the just and lasting peace that our brothers in Mindanao are seeking." said Lacierda, referring to the volatile southern region and homeland of minority Muslims in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation.
Government negotiators, some teary-eyed, embraced each other after the conclusion of the talks. Chief government negotiator Miriam Ferrer hailed the progress and said "good luck to everyone on the next stage, the implementation stage."
The United States and other Western governments have supported the talks, worried that rebel strongholds could become breeding grounds for al-Qaida-linked extremists who have sought sanctuary in the region in the past.
Under the peace deal, the Moro insurgents agreed to end violence in exchange for broader autonomy. An existing five-province Muslim autonomous region is to be replaced by a more powerful, better-funded and potentially larger region to be called Bangsamoro.
Despite the milestone, both the government and the rebels acknowledged that violence would not end overnight in a region that has long grappled with a volatile mix of crushing poverty, huge numbers of illegal firearms, clan wars and weak law enforcement.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/01/25/1282943/philippines-milf-clinch-peace-deal
Teamwork strategy: A key component in PA's 'air-land battle doctrine' (Feature)
From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 25): Teamwork strategy: A key component in PA's 'air-land battle doctrine' (Feature)
Even in the battlefield, teamwork is also a key in fending off attacks by enemy forces.
This was illustrated by the fact that the Philippine Army, which is currently mustering 10 divisions, a mechanized infantry division with anti-aircraft and anti-tank attachments, and fielding 273 artillery pieces, has an "air-land battle doctrine" which calls for close coordination with land units and the Air Force in beating off the enemy or any hostile threat.
"Basically, this fighting doctrine employs a 'main effort unit' and 'supporting units' in the conduct of operations," Army spokesperson Capt. Anthony Bacus said.
In layman's terms, this simply means that the PA will try to defeat an enemy formation with attacks conducted by the infantry, artillery, armor and air units in a coordinated manner.
"In the conduct of these operations, the PA will apply the fire and maneuver techniques. Speed is one of the characteristics of offensive operation while firepower is one of the elements of combat power," he emphasized.
Combat power is a military tactic that uses suppressive fire to decrease the enemy's ability to return fire, its organization unit cohesion, and morale.
The tactic is used by small unit commanders on the modern battlefield.
The movement part of the action consists of a separate organizational unit moving forward in greater safety afforded by the suppressive fire laid down on the enemy.
Bacus said that constant training and close coordination with the different military units is needed to maximize this tactic to the utmost.
The PA's ability to deliver devastating power against enemy positions is getting a much-needed boost with the signing and impending delivery of 28 brand-new armored fighting vehicles, 14 of which are armed with automatic 76mm cannons.
Contract for these armored units, which is worth P888 million, was awarded to one ofIsrael 's leading
defense manufacturers, Elbit
Systems Land
Aside from "fire support units," six of the Israeli-built armored vehicles are classified as the "armored personnel carrier" models, four as "infantry fighting vehicles" and the remaining four as "recovery and repair" units.
Full delivery of these vehicles is expected within a year or around January 2015.
Department of National Defense Assistant Secretary Patrick Velez said that these armored vehicles are very capable.
Once in service, 14 armored vehicles armed with 76mm cannons will act as the mobile artillery units of the PA which at the moment is armed with 273 units of heavy guns.
Of these weapons, 24 are of the class heavy 155mm howitzers, with the remaining guns consisting of various models of the 105mm howitzer, an artillery piece capable of being towed or tracked into combat.
These weapons are constantly being maintained and modernized to provide Army units with a relatively heavy punch.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=10&sid=&nid=10&rid=609311
Even in the battlefield, teamwork is also a key in fending off attacks by enemy forces.
This was illustrated by the fact that the Philippine Army, which is currently mustering 10 divisions, a mechanized infantry division with anti-aircraft and anti-tank attachments, and fielding 273 artillery pieces, has an "air-land battle doctrine" which calls for close coordination with land units and the Air Force in beating off the enemy or any hostile threat.
"Basically, this fighting doctrine employs a 'main effort unit' and 'supporting units' in the conduct of operations," Army spokesperson Capt. Anthony Bacus said.
In layman's terms, this simply means that the PA will try to defeat an enemy formation with attacks conducted by the infantry, artillery, armor and air units in a coordinated manner.
"In the conduct of these operations, the PA will apply the fire and maneuver techniques. Speed is one of the characteristics of offensive operation while firepower is one of the elements of combat power," he emphasized.
Combat power is a military tactic that uses suppressive fire to decrease the enemy's ability to return fire, its organization unit cohesion, and morale.
The tactic is used by small unit commanders on the modern battlefield.
The movement part of the action consists of a separate organizational unit moving forward in greater safety afforded by the suppressive fire laid down on the enemy.
Bacus said that constant training and close coordination with the different military units is needed to maximize this tactic to the utmost.
The PA's ability to deliver devastating power against enemy positions is getting a much-needed boost with the signing and impending delivery of 28 brand-new armored fighting vehicles, 14 of which are armed with automatic 76mm cannons.
Contract for these armored units, which is worth P888 million, was awarded to one of
Aside from "fire support units," six of the Israeli-built armored vehicles are classified as the "armored personnel carrier" models, four as "infantry fighting vehicles" and the remaining four as "recovery and repair" units.
Full delivery of these vehicles is expected within a year or around January 2015.
Department of National Defense Assistant Secretary Patrick Velez said that these armored vehicles are very capable.
Once in service, 14 armored vehicles armed with 76mm cannons will act as the mobile artillery units of the PA which at the moment is armed with 273 units of heavy guns.
Of these weapons, 24 are of the class heavy 155mm howitzers, with the remaining guns consisting of various models of the 105mm howitzer, an artillery piece capable of being towed or tracked into combat.
These weapons are constantly being maintained and modernized to provide Army units with a relatively heavy punch.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=10&sid=&nid=10&rid=609311
Troopers, NPA rebels clash in Zamboanga Del Norte
From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 25): Troopers, NPA rebels clash in Zamboanga Del Norte
Troopers from the 1st Infantry Division have successfully driven off a force of 40 New People's Army (NPA) fighters during an encounter at the boundaries of Sitio San Isidro, Barangay Sta. Maria and Sitio Lapanan,Barangay Morob , Leon
This took place around 9 a.m. No casualties were sustained by government forces, Maj. Edmond Abella, the unit's spokesperson, said.
He added that the encounter was in response to a report by concerned citizens regarding the presence of the heavily-armed rebels in their communities.
Abella said their troopers were able to outmaneuver the NPAs who were occupying a higher ground but later backed off when additional troops arrived.
He believes the NPAs sustained several casualties as evidenced by the bloodstains in their routes of withdrawal.
Recovered were assorted propaganda materials, personal belongings, and various subversive documents of high intelligence value.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=609235
Troopers from the 1st Infantry Division have successfully driven off a force of 40 New People's Army (NPA) fighters during an encounter at the boundaries of Sitio San Isidro, Barangay Sta. Maria and Sitio Lapanan,
This took place around 9 a.m. No casualties were sustained by government forces, Maj. Edmond Abella, the unit's spokesperson, said.
He added that the encounter was in response to a report by concerned citizens regarding the presence of the heavily-armed rebels in their communities.
Abella said their troopers were able to outmaneuver the NPAs who were occupying a higher ground but later backed off when additional troops arrived.
He believes the NPAs sustained several casualties as evidenced by the bloodstains in their routes of withdrawal.
Recovered were assorted propaganda materials, personal belongings, and various subversive documents of high intelligence value.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=609235
Palace: President Aquino appoints 2 DND officials, reappoints several others
From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 25): Palace: President Aquino appoints 2 DND officials, reappoints several others
Malacañang on Saturday announced the appointment of two new defense officials and the reappointment by President Benigno S. Aquino III of several others in various positions.
President Aquino appointed two acting directors of the Department of National Defense: Herbert Yambing and Lea Rosemary Liban.
The reappointed officials included those in the John Hay Management Corp. and the Poro Point Management Corp. under the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.
Appointed to serve until June 30, 2014 are:
Camp John Hay Management Corp. Board of Directors: Silvestre Afable Jr. (Chairman of the Board), Jamie Eloise Agbayani (President/CEO), Arnel Paciano Casanova, Reynaldo Agranzamendez, Catherine Mary Biazon, Emerito Manalo, Ceasar Oracion, Gloria Peralta, Teddy Esteban, Rigoroso Antonio, and Tengco Alexander Bangsoy, vice Felicito Payumo.
Poro Point Management Corp. Board of Directors: Ives Nisce (Chairman of the Board), Florante Gerdan (President/CEO), Jorge Banal, Elmer Cadano, Louis Funa-Ay Claver Jr., Celia Guzman, Nicolas Tabora, Mitchel Verzosa, and Vladimir Rodriguez, vice Amparo Aspiras.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=609405
Malacañang on Saturday announced the appointment of two new defense officials and the reappointment by President Benigno S. Aquino III of several others in various positions.
President Aquino appointed two acting directors of the Department of National Defense: Herbert Yambing and Lea Rosemary Liban.
The reappointed officials included those in the John Hay Management Corp. and the Poro Point Management Corp. under the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.
Appointed to serve until June 30, 2014 are:
Camp John Hay Management Corp. Board of Directors: Silvestre Afable Jr. (Chairman of the Board), Jamie Eloise Agbayani (President/CEO), Arnel Paciano Casanova, Reynaldo Agranzamendez, Catherine Mary Biazon, Emerito Manalo, Ceasar Oracion, Gloria Peralta, Teddy Esteban, Rigoroso Antonio, and Tengco Alexander Bangsoy, vice Felicito Payumo.
Poro Point Management Corp. Board of Directors: Ives Nisce (Chairman of the Board), Florante Gerdan (President/CEO), Jorge Banal, Elmer Cadano, Louis Funa-Ay Claver Jr., Celia Guzman, Nicolas Tabora, Mitchel Verzosa, and Vladimir Rodriguez, vice Amparo Aspiras.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=609405
Norman-Britten Islander aircraft protecting PHL maritime territory
From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 25): Norman-Britten Islander aircraft protecting PHL maritime territory
Despite its slow speed (around 170 miles per hour) and lack of offensive armaments, the Navy's six Norman-Britten N2 Islander aircraft is one of the assets being employed by thePhilippines
Its slow speed and good range (up to 874 miles) makes it very ideal for patrol and surveillance work and it can fly between to two to three hours depending on the fuel and payload.
The twin-engine Islanders are capable of conducting maritime air surveillance, air drop, air lift and aerial reconnaissance missions at sea.
These aircraft are operated by the Naval Air Group (NAG) which is based in Sangley Point,Cavite
Aside from the six Islander units, the NAG operates three AgustaWestland AW-109 "Power" helicopter, four Cessna light utility planes, one R-22 "Raven" helicopter and one MBB-105 helicopter.
Last Jan. 21, the Philippine Navy (PN) deployed four Islander aircraft to strategic areas in the country.
One of the Islander planes is now operating under the control of Naval Forces Northern Luzon which is based inSan Fernando
City , La Union; another in Naval
Forces Central which is based in Cebu; one under the Western Command in Puerto
Princesa, Palawan and the last aircraft in Naval Forces Western Mindanao in Zamboanga City
"With these deployment, our unified commands have became more capable in conducting maritime patrol and surveillance missions," PN spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic said.
Aside from these, the aircraft has also improved the search-and-rescue capabilities of the above-mentioned unified commands.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=609411
Despite its slow speed (around 170 miles per hour) and lack of offensive armaments, the Navy's six Norman-Britten N2 Islander aircraft is one of the assets being employed by the
Its slow speed and good range (up to 874 miles) makes it very ideal for patrol and surveillance work and it can fly between to two to three hours depending on the fuel and payload.
The twin-engine Islanders are capable of conducting maritime air surveillance, air drop, air lift and aerial reconnaissance missions at sea.
These aircraft are operated by the Naval Air Group (NAG) which is based in Sangley Point,
Aside from the six Islander units, the NAG operates three AgustaWestland AW-109 "Power" helicopter, four Cessna light utility planes, one R-22 "Raven" helicopter and one MBB-105 helicopter.
Last Jan. 21, the Philippine Navy (PN) deployed four Islander aircraft to strategic areas in the country.
One of the Islander planes is now operating under the control of Naval Forces Northern Luzon which is based in
"With these deployment, our unified commands have became more capable in conducting maritime patrol and surveillance missions," PN spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic said.
Aside from these, the aircraft has also improved the search-and-rescue capabilities of the above-mentioned unified commands.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=609411
Gov't, MILF agree on historic arms deal
From Rappler (Jan 25): Gov't, MILF agree on historic arms deal
This is a developing story.
KUALA LUMPUR , Malaysia
HAPPY END. Members of the Philippine and MILF panels reach agreement on handling of firearms and MILF troops. Photo by Angela Casauay/Rappler
Next battle: Congress
http://www.rappler.com/nation/48832-government-milf-historic-firearms-deal
This is a developing story.
Both sides on
Saturday, January 25, agreed on a historic firearms deal that would require the
rebel group to gradually decommission their firearms in phases.
It is the last
document needed to be settled before the comprehensive peace agreement can be
signed.
As of this
writing, members of the MILF panel remained in a caucus with lawmakers.
Under the annex
on normalization, the MILF agreed to "decommission" a specific number
of their firearms and troops in certain periods as the government, in exchange,
also gave its commitment to reduce armed forces and help disband private armed
groups in Mindanao .
The MILF, however, said they will not "surrender" their firearms to
the government. Instead, a third-party group will handle the inventory of MILF
firearms and their troops. Ahead of the signing, government peace panel member
Yasmin Busran-Lao told reporters an indepedent commissioning body that will
recommend the most appropriate mechanism on how to store the arms will be
created after the signing.
The deal is a key
difference compared to the 1996 peace pact between the government and MILF's
rival group, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which did not require
MNLF troops to lay down their firearms.
Both sides also
agreed to design socio-economic programs for MILF troops who will no longer
engage in war, as transitional justice mechanisms are put in place.
Once the
comprehensive peace agreement is signed, MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal
earlier said the MILF will stop using its arms and start its transformation
towards becoming a "social movement." (READ: What happens to MILF after peace deal?)
HAPPY END. Members of the Philippine and MILF panels reach agreement on handling of firearms and MILF troops. Photo by Angela Casauay/Rappler
Next battle: Congress
In October 2012,
both parties signed the Framework Agreement, which outlines the roadmap
towards the creation of the Bangsamoro political entity set to replace the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
The new government will be ministerial in form, with members
elected by the people who will choose a chief minister among themselves. It
will enjoy automatic appropriations – similar to the internal revenue
allotment of local government units – with a 75% share in taxes and revenues
from metallic minerals.
In a statement, Secretary Teresita Quintos Deles of the Office of the
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process said, "It has been a very
difficult road arriving at this major milestone of the peace process." The
crafting of agreements underwent "painstaking deliberation by the two
parties, backed up by thorough discussion and internal consensus-building on
each side of the negotiating table, and grounded on extensive consultations
with concerned local government units, religious and civil society leaders, and
communities especially in the conflict-affected areas."
But the signing
of the peace agreement is only the first phase towards the creation of a new
government that both sides hope would foster lasting peace in Mindanao .
The next battleground is Congress.
After the signing
of the peace pact, the 15-member Bangsamoro Transition Commission will go full
blast in crafting the Basic Law that will provide the legal framework for the
creation of the new political entity.
The proposed law
will then be submitted to Congress and be certified urgent by the President.
Iqbal said the commission has set an April deadline for the completion of the
bill.
Challenges
Deles
acknowledged the challenges that lie ahead. She said, "It has been a
difficult road getting to here and we know that the path ahead will continue to
be fraught with challenges. As we celebrate this moment, we also affirm our
readiness to undertake the tasks that shall ensure the full and satisfactory
implementation of this agreement..."
North Cotabato
Representative Jesus Sacdalan, vice chairman of the House committee on peace,
justice and reconciliation, said Congress may have time to discuss the measure
when it resumes session from May 5 to June 13, before adjourning the first
regular session. Sacdalan, along with other lawmakers, was also in Kuala Lumpur
Once the Basic
Law is passed, a transition authority – to be led by the MILF – will take over
to lead the transition from the ARMM to the new Bangsamoro government until the
election of officers in 2016.
A Third Party Monitoring (TPMT)
was earlier convened to monitor the implementation of the peace accord.
Once the TPMT –
as well as the government, the MILF and the Malaysian facilitator – agree that
all parties have complied with the commitments outlined in the peace pact, only
then will the exit agreement formally terminating the GPH-MILF negotiations be
signed.
In his opening statement in the 43rd
round of talks, Iqbal said he hopes the "day of reckoning"
will come "on or before 2016."
The 4-decade war
in Mindanao has claimed the lives of over
60,000 people, a report from the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
said.
Talks for peace
between the government and the MILF gained ground under the Ramos
administration but encountered a major setback when the Estrada administration
declared "all-out war" against the troops.
The Arroyo
administration managed to restart the talks and produce an initial deal known
as the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domains (MOA-AD). But war broke out
again when the Supreme Court declared the MOA-AD unconstitutional.
President Benigno
Aquino III convinced the MILF to return to the negotiating table after holding an impromptu meeting
with MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim in Tokyo, Japan – against all advice.
http://www.rappler.com/nation/48832-government-milf-historic-firearms-deal
TIMELINE: The long road to the Bangsamoro region
From Rappler (Jan 25): TIMELINE: The long road to the Bangsamoro region
More than a year after a framework agreement was signed in October 2012, the Bangsamoro region moves a step closer to reality.
It's been a 16-year journey.
In 1996, the Ramos government held the first exploratory talks with the MILF, culminating in the signing of a "general cessation of hostilities" between the two parties in July 1997.
But the road to peace before 2010, when President Benigno Aquino III assumed power, was marked by deadlocks, conflicts and persistent efforts by other armed groups to derail it.
Former president Joseph Estrada mobilized the entire armed forces to crush the MILF and bring down its seat of power in Camp Abubabakar, central Mindanao, in 2000.
His successor, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo resumed negotiations with the group, taking a bold step in crafting a draft agreement that triggered widespread opposition from lawmakers and various sectors and which the Supreme Court later on declared as unconstitutional.
The MILF, too, went through a difficult period with the death of its charismatic leader, Hashim Salamat, in 2003. Replacing him as chairman was the military chief of the rebel organization at the time, Ibrahim Murad.
What happened since then?
2010
JULY
July 15 - Malacañang announces the appointment of then UP College of Law dean Marvic Leonen as the government's chief negotiator in the peace talks.
SEPTEMBER
September 7 - Presidential peace adviser Teresita Deles announces that Aquino has formed an advisory body to assist government negotiators in the peace talks. The body is composed of "members from both Houses of Congress, retired justices of the Supreme Court, members of the 1987 Constitutional Commission, local governments in strife-affected areas, non-government organizations involved in peace efforts, and the former chairmen of previous peace panels."
2011
AUGUST
August 4 - MILF chair Murad "Al Haj" Ebrahim holds an unprecedented meeting with Aquino in Tokyo, Japan. Both agree to expedite the peace process.
2012
OCTOBER
October 7 - The Philippine government and the MILF concludes the 32nd round of exploratory talks with a framework agreement that will create a Bangsamoro region.
(READ: 2012 Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro political region)
October 15 - The Aquino administration and the MILF sign the peace agreement in Malacañang. It marks the first time the rebel group steps into the country’s seat of power.
NOVEMBER
November 12 - The 33rd round of peace talks opens, with the main agenda focusing on details of the Three Annexes on Power-Sharing, Wealth-Sharing and Normalization of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
This round ends without any agreement being signed.
DECEMBER
December 12 - The panels convene for the 34th round of peace talks, marking the first time that professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer is taking the helm as the government peace panel chair after being appointed to replace now Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.
December 16 - The 34th round of peace talks concludes with a "technical impasse" over the issue on whether the MILF should lead the Bangsamoro Transition Authority.
December 17 - President Benigno Aquino III signs Executive Order 120 creating the 15-member Transition Commission that will craft the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
2013
JANUARY
January 21 - The 35th round of peace talks begins, with both parties expected to settle the "technical impasse" on who will lead the Bangsamoro Transition Authority -- the only unresolved issue in the annex on transitional arrangements and modalities.
January 25 - Both panels sign a document outlining the terms of reference for the Third-Party Monitoring Team that will 'review, assess, evaluate and monitor' the implementation of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
FEBRUARY
February 14 - Malaysian security forces summon dozens of suspected Abu Sayyaf members in a remote area with a history of incursions by armed Filipino Islamic groups.
February 25 - As the 36th round of peace talks begin, President Benigno Aquino III names the members of the Transition Commission (TransCom) that will draft the basic law that would pave the way for the Bangsamoro political identity.
(READ: Meet the members of the Transition Commission)
February 27 - The Annex on Transitional Arrangements and Modalities is signed before the last session of the 36th round of peace talks ends.
The parties also agree under the Framework Agreement to form an Independent Commission on Policing (ICP), which will submit recommendations on how the relationship between the Philippine National Police and Bangsamoro police should work.
MARCH
March 25 - The government asks the MILF to postpone the 37th round of peace talks to allow it more time to review the annexes.
APRIL
April 3 - The 15-member Transition Commission convenes for the first time.
April 9 - The 37th round of peace talks finally starts, with only discussions on the annex on normalization remaining at the level of the technical working groups.
April 11 - This round ends without any agreement being signed.
April 30 - The Transition Commission agrees on the process to be followed in establishing the inner workings of the commission, including its organizational chart and internal rules and regulations.
JULY
July 6 - The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a splinter guerrilla group, ambushes an army truck and attacks an army camp a day before peace talks resume.
July 8 - Panels proceed with the 38th round of peace talks, with the MILF returning to the negotiating table "with guarded optimism."
July 11 - The 38th round of talks ends without any agreement, with the MILF peace panel members leaving the venue in a huff.
Afterwards, they agree to return and extend the talks, in an attempt to seal the deal on wealth-sharing.
July 12 - Parties fail to arrive at any agreement and agree to extend again the talks for one more day.
July 13 - Parties sign the annex on wealth-sharing. Among others, the agreement gives automatic appropriations to the Bangsamoro, as well as a 75% share on taxes and revenues from metallic minerals.
AUGUST
August 22 - The 39th round of talks starts, with the last two annexes topping the agenda.
August 25 - No agreement is signed after this round, but both panels release a joint statement that expresses confidence that the final peace pact will be completed soon.
SEPTEMBER
September 9 - Up to 400 suspected members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) take over 4 barangays in Zamboanga City.
September 10 - The 40th round of peace talks is opened, with the government peace panel nearly missing their flight to Kuala Lumpur after Aquino called for an emergency meeting following the siege of Zamboanga City.
September 19 - The panels decide to extend the session for one more day, though both parties feel that it is unlikely that a document will be signed and completed this round.
September 20 - The 40th phase of talks end without signing a deal on power-sharing and normalization. Proposed changes to the annex – both from the government and the MILF – extend discussions, described to be "generally constructive" during this round.
OCTOBER
October 8 - Parties hold the 41st round of talks, as Zamboanga City recovers from the bloody siege by rebel forces associated with a faction of the MILF's rival group, the Moro National Liberation Front.
October 11 - Peace panels from both parties extend their talks for another day.
October 13 - The 41st round of peace talks ends. Parties fail to complete the power-sharing annex.
DECEMBER
December 5 - The 42nd round of peace talks opens, with power-sharing being the agenda.
December 8 - The panels sign the annex on power-sharing, but without a deal on the so-called "Bangsamoro waters" – the most contentious issue in the peace talks.
2014
JANUARY
January 22 - Negotiations continue at the 43rd round of peace talks to discuss what to do with firearms and what will happen next to the people who will lay down their arms.
January 24 - The panels arrive at a deal on how power will be shared over "Bangsamoro waters."
http://www.rappler.com/nation/48841-timeline-bangsamoro
More than a year after a framework agreement was signed in October 2012, the Bangsamoro region moves a step closer to reality.
It's been a 16-year journey.
In 1996, the Ramos government held the first exploratory talks with the MILF, culminating in the signing of a "general cessation of hostilities" between the two parties in July 1997.
But the road to peace before 2010, when President Benigno Aquino III assumed power, was marked by deadlocks, conflicts and persistent efforts by other armed groups to derail it.
Former president Joseph Estrada mobilized the entire armed forces to crush the MILF and bring down its seat of power in Camp Abubabakar, central Mindanao, in 2000.
His successor, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo resumed negotiations with the group, taking a bold step in crafting a draft agreement that triggered widespread opposition from lawmakers and various sectors and which the Supreme Court later on declared as unconstitutional.
The MILF, too, went through a difficult period with the death of its charismatic leader, Hashim Salamat, in 2003. Replacing him as chairman was the military chief of the rebel organization at the time, Ibrahim Murad.
What happened since then?
2010
JULY
July 15 - Malacañang announces the appointment of then UP College of Law dean Marvic Leonen as the government's chief negotiator in the peace talks.
SEPTEMBER
September 7 - Presidential peace adviser Teresita Deles announces that Aquino has formed an advisory body to assist government negotiators in the peace talks. The body is composed of "members from both Houses of Congress, retired justices of the Supreme Court, members of the 1987 Constitutional Commission, local governments in strife-affected areas, non-government organizations involved in peace efforts, and the former chairmen of previous peace panels."
2011
AUGUST
August 4 - MILF chair Murad "Al Haj" Ebrahim holds an unprecedented meeting with Aquino in Tokyo, Japan. Both agree to expedite the peace process.
2012
OCTOBER
October 7 - The Philippine government and the MILF concludes the 32nd round of exploratory talks with a framework agreement that will create a Bangsamoro region.
(READ: 2012 Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro political region)
October 15 - The Aquino administration and the MILF sign the peace agreement in Malacañang. It marks the first time the rebel group steps into the country’s seat of power.
NOVEMBER
November 12 - The 33rd round of peace talks opens, with the main agenda focusing on details of the Three Annexes on Power-Sharing, Wealth-Sharing and Normalization of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
This round ends without any agreement being signed.
DECEMBER
December 12 - The panels convene for the 34th round of peace talks, marking the first time that professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer is taking the helm as the government peace panel chair after being appointed to replace now Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.
December 16 - The 34th round of peace talks concludes with a "technical impasse" over the issue on whether the MILF should lead the Bangsamoro Transition Authority.
December 17 - President Benigno Aquino III signs Executive Order 120 creating the 15-member Transition Commission that will craft the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
2013
JANUARY
January 21 - The 35th round of peace talks begins, with both parties expected to settle the "technical impasse" on who will lead the Bangsamoro Transition Authority -- the only unresolved issue in the annex on transitional arrangements and modalities.
January 25 - Both panels sign a document outlining the terms of reference for the Third-Party Monitoring Team that will 'review, assess, evaluate and monitor' the implementation of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
FEBRUARY
February 14 - Malaysian security forces summon dozens of suspected Abu Sayyaf members in a remote area with a history of incursions by armed Filipino Islamic groups.
February 25 - As the 36th round of peace talks begin, President Benigno Aquino III names the members of the Transition Commission (TransCom) that will draft the basic law that would pave the way for the Bangsamoro political identity.
(READ: Meet the members of the Transition Commission)
February 27 - The Annex on Transitional Arrangements and Modalities is signed before the last session of the 36th round of peace talks ends.
The parties also agree under the Framework Agreement to form an Independent Commission on Policing (ICP), which will submit recommendations on how the relationship between the Philippine National Police and Bangsamoro police should work.
MARCH
March 25 - The government asks the MILF to postpone the 37th round of peace talks to allow it more time to review the annexes.
APRIL
April 3 - The 15-member Transition Commission convenes for the first time.
April 9 - The 37th round of peace talks finally starts, with only discussions on the annex on normalization remaining at the level of the technical working groups.
April 11 - This round ends without any agreement being signed.
April 30 - The Transition Commission agrees on the process to be followed in establishing the inner workings of the commission, including its organizational chart and internal rules and regulations.
JULY
July 6 - The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a splinter guerrilla group, ambushes an army truck and attacks an army camp a day before peace talks resume.
July 8 - Panels proceed with the 38th round of peace talks, with the MILF returning to the negotiating table "with guarded optimism."
July 11 - The 38th round of talks ends without any agreement, with the MILF peace panel members leaving the venue in a huff.
Afterwards, they agree to return and extend the talks, in an attempt to seal the deal on wealth-sharing.
July 12 - Parties fail to arrive at any agreement and agree to extend again the talks for one more day.
July 13 - Parties sign the annex on wealth-sharing. Among others, the agreement gives automatic appropriations to the Bangsamoro, as well as a 75% share on taxes and revenues from metallic minerals.
AUGUST
August 22 - The 39th round of talks starts, with the last two annexes topping the agenda.
August 25 - No agreement is signed after this round, but both panels release a joint statement that expresses confidence that the final peace pact will be completed soon.
SEPTEMBER
September 9 - Up to 400 suspected members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) take over 4 barangays in Zamboanga City.
September 10 - The 40th round of peace talks is opened, with the government peace panel nearly missing their flight to Kuala Lumpur after Aquino called for an emergency meeting following the siege of Zamboanga City.
September 19 - The panels decide to extend the session for one more day, though both parties feel that it is unlikely that a document will be signed and completed this round.
September 20 - The 40th phase of talks end without signing a deal on power-sharing and normalization. Proposed changes to the annex – both from the government and the MILF – extend discussions, described to be "generally constructive" during this round.
OCTOBER
October 8 - Parties hold the 41st round of talks, as Zamboanga City recovers from the bloody siege by rebel forces associated with a faction of the MILF's rival group, the Moro National Liberation Front.
October 11 - Peace panels from both parties extend their talks for another day.
October 13 - The 41st round of peace talks ends. Parties fail to complete the power-sharing annex.
DECEMBER
December 5 - The 42nd round of peace talks opens, with power-sharing being the agenda.
December 8 - The panels sign the annex on power-sharing, but without a deal on the so-called "Bangsamoro waters" – the most contentious issue in the peace talks.
2014
JANUARY
January 22 - Negotiations continue at the 43rd round of peace talks to discuss what to do with firearms and what will happen next to the people who will lay down their arms.
January 24 - The panels arrive at a deal on how power will be shared over "Bangsamoro waters."
http://www.rappler.com/nation/48841-timeline-bangsamoro