Palace: Status quo in South out of the question, but MNLF inputs to Bangsamoro Basic Law welcome

From InterAksyon (Jan 28): Palace: Status quo in South out of the question, but MNLF inputs to Bangsamoro Basic Law welcome

Malacanang on Tuesday encouraged the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to relay their inputs in the drafting of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, even as it stressed that allowing the status quo to remain in Mindanao, without taking steps to operationalizing the peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, is out of the question.

“If they (MNLF) have inputs, they are most welcome and will be accepted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission,” said Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. in a Palace briefing.

The Bangsamoro Transition Commission is responsible for making the draft bill of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, Coloma noted.

He cited the earlier stand of Presidential Peace Adviser Teresita Deles that there is no abrogation of the 1996 peace agreement.

Coloma noted that the government wants to incorporate into the proposed Bangsamomo Basic Law all the best features of the 1996 final peace agreement and those in the Organic Act of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“As Secretary Deles has explained further the government has adopted the 42 consensus points agreed upon during the tripartite process including the Philippine government, MNLF and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC),” he said.

“These consensus points have been conveyed to the Bangsamoro Commission tasked to prepare the draft bill to be submitted to the President and Congress,” he added.

Coloma said that following the outbreak of violence in Maguindanao, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) are now conducting joint law enforcement operations.

These operations, he said, will serve arrest warrants against members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a breakaway group of the MILF.

“According to the Philippine Army, the MILF are part of the operations to secure their communities and prevent entry of BIFF elements,” Coloma said.

Malacanang seeks to finish the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro by March, to be followed by the drafting of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

Palace: Status quo in Mindanao not acceptable

Relatedly, Coloma laid down the government’s firm stance that the failure to establish a new Bangsamoro political entity that will change the status quo in Mindanao will not be an acceptable scenario for Malacañang.

Coloma Jr. stressed this as he said the government is focused on winning the peace in Mindanao by effecting needed changes.

"Government efforts are focused on winning the peace in Mindanao. The alternative to change is the status quo and the status quo is not acceptable," he said at a media briefing.

At the very least, he said the government will continue to perform its task of ensuring peace and stability and protecting the citizens.

Coloma also assured the public the government has enough forces to maintain peace and order in Mindanao from various armed groups.

"It is still the primordial duty of the state to mtaintain law and order," he said.

The government is hoping to bring much-needed peace to Mindanao with the signing of an annex that would pave the way for a comprehensive peace agreement.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/79639/palace-status-quo-in-south-out-of-the-question-but-mnlf-inputs-to-bangsamoro-basic-law-welcome