MILF may resort anew to armed struggle, ‘blame and shame’ game
Ghazali Jaafar, MILF vice chairman for political affairs and a member of the group’s Central Committee, expressed this sentiment in an interview over DZRH radio yesterday.
He said the MILF is not asking for “exactly the original version” as drafted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC).
The proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) drafted by the BTC was certified urgent and submitted by President Aquino to Congress. However, both houses of Congress deleted some provisions from the original draft, which they believe are inconsistent with the Constitution.
“But if there is change on the version agreed upon, and the replacement will make the resulting BBL no longer ‘macho,’ no longer handsome, no longer the (same) style, that is what we call watered-down, diluted, deboned, no longer has bones, so what is its use to us, the Bangsamoro masses?” Jaafar asked.
Jaafar, however, declined to disclose his group’s next move should a deboned BBL be passed by Congress. “We will first ask the Muslims and see what they want.”
BACK TO ARMED STRUGGLE?
Asked if the MILF would resort anew to another round of armed struggle should a watered-down BBL be passed instead, Jaafar said he will have to ask the leaders of the MILF about it.
Told about Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez’s “take it or leave it,” stance, Jaafar said he wants to invite the solon to a cup of coffee at the group’s Peace Process Secretariat in Camp Darapanan, Maguindanao.
Earlier, Iqbal, also the MILF chief negotiator and BTC chairman, said in a recent forum that the government of the Philippines (GPH) will be answerable in the event a “bad BBL is passed.”
“Ninety-nine percent of the international community is supporting the passage of a good BBL. If the MILF does not accept the BBL, the government will have to answer to the international community,” he said.
Iqbal stressed this during the “Peace at last?” forum organized by the Moro Christian People’s Alliance (MCPA) and the Pilgrims for Peace conducted at the offices of the National Council of Churches of the Philippines (NCCP) in Quezon City.
He cited what he described as the “deep involvement” of the international community during the over 17 years peace process between the MILF and GPH.
“The international community would take the government to task if war breaks out. We will have the moral ascendancy if the exit agreement is not signed,” he added, referring to the final agreement to be signed between the two parties but only after the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) shall have been fully implemented.
Validation from the third party monitoring team headed by Alistair McDonald, former European Commission (EC) ambassador to the Philippines, is required.
‘BLAME AND SHAME’
“We will blame and shame the GPH for not complying with the agreements signed by both parties,” said Iqbal.
The MCPA noted that the forum marked the first time Iqbal appeared with the progressives, or some say, militants.
Jaafar and Iqbal’s separate “fighting” statements came in the wake of the filing of separate versions of the BBL in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Authors of both bills have either deleted or amended several of the BBL’s original provisions.
This has prompted the MILF to ask both legislative chambers to restore 28 provisions, but the legislators are not willing to give in.
“Very clear, we will not accept it, if it is lower than the ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao). What will the MILF do if a diluted BBL is passed?” he asked.
In an editorial on Luwaran.com last week, the MILF said accepting a bad BBL spells death for the revolutionary organization.
‘DON’T FORCE BBL APPROVAL’
Meanwhile, former soldier-turned-Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano is urging the Aquino government to let the next administration pass the proposed BBL.
Alejano said the government should not force the approval of the peace measure this 16th Congress in the wake of the issues on constitutionality and acceptability.
“Don’t force the BBL approval now. Let the next administration tackle and renegotiate it,” he said, adding that it is not only the Aquino government that desires lasting peace and stability in Mindanao.
He said members of Congress should be given more time to scrutinize the Basic Law on the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BLBAR), warning that if the government forces its approval, it would only cause chaotic situation.
He said even if Congress would be able to pass the BBL, a plebiscite will be held for the Bangsamoro region, which is time-consuming and needs government resources.
He said the Comelec has no time to prepare for the plebiscite, which was supposed to be conducted this December.
Alejano said there is no way for both houses of Congress to put back the original form of the peace measure, which was submitted by Malacañang in September last year.
He said the opt-in provision will be definitely deleted by both chambers.
The opt-in provision gives right to neighboring territories to propose their inclusion in the proposed Bangsamoro autonomous region through a petition of at least 10 percent of the residents and approval by a majority of qualified voters in the city or province in a separate plebiscite.
http://www.mb.com.ph/iqbal-deboned-bbl-unacceptable/
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