Calling it a key factor in achieving lasting peace in
Mindanao, local leaders of Sarangani
Province
Local government officials, community leaders and
representatives of various sectoral groups issued such call during a peace
forum in Alabel town on Tuesday organized by the provincial government.
The forum, which was graced by government chief negotiator Miriam
Coronel-Ferrer, mainly focused on raising the awareness of Sarangani
stakeholders regarding the continuing peace process with the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF) and the important provisions of the BBL.
Sarangani Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon said they are
fully supporting the passage of BBL, which he dubbed as the answer to the
decades-old conflict in Mindanao .
Although the province is not part of the proposed Bangsamoro
region’s core areas, he said it would still benefit greatly from the BBL’s
implementation.
“Mindanao is the richest
island in the whole country resources-wise, so just imagine the tremendous
benefits that we will all get once we have genuine and lasting peace here,” the
governor said.
Maasim Vice Mayor Uttoh Salem Cutan, a former leader of the
Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and executive director of the defunct
Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development, called on Congress to
continue with the deliberations on the BBL.
He said the BBL should be separated from the “Mamasapano
issue” or the deadly clash in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao last January 25
that led to the killing of 44 members of the Philippine National Police Special
Action Force.
But Cutan said the final version of the BBL should include
provisions from the Sept. 2, 1996 peace agreement between the government and
the MNLF and the 1976 Tripoli
“It is best that these two agreements will be incorporated
in the BBL,” he stressed.
Ferrer expressed gratefulness to the support and commitment
of Sarangani officials to the peace process as well as the BBL.
“What we’re after is genuine peace and development here in Mindanao , meaning a permanent ceasefire. With that
situation, we can look forward to better opportunities for everyone, especially
the future generations,” she said.
“At the end of the day, the peace process is about us living
together, respecting each other and each one having the opportunity to
participate in socio-economic processes, politics and other aspects of our
lives,” Ferrer added.
The peace forum, which was joined by around 600 local
leaders, was supported by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace
Process, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Local
Monitoring Team.
The gathering was also highlighted by the signing of a peace
covenant among local leaders for the joint pursuit of lasting peace in the province.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=749647
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