The Moro Islamic Liberation Front remains trustful and confident in President Rodrigo Duterte’s leadership, especially in its commitment to correct “historical injustices” among the Bangsamoro through negotiated political solutions prescribed in government’s peace accords with legitimate revolutionary groups such as the MILF.
MILF First Vice Chair Gazali Jaafar (MB PHOTO/JIM GUIAO PUNZALAN)
This, according to MILF First Vice Chairman Ghazali Jaafar, who assured yesterday the front leadership’s attendance for the “first time’ in a celebration for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (ARMM’s) founding anniversary.
“Yes, that is my plan,” Jaafar told the Manila Bulletin in an interview by phone when asked if he or any MILF central committee official will attend today’s 28th ARMM foundation anniversary celebration in this city.
“It will be my first time,” Jaafar said, referring to his attendance in a celebration for ARMM, which the MILF leadership has never recognized officially since inception in 1990.
In past public forums, Jaafar – sitting as chairman of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) – had called for the abolition of ARMM,,saying it does not reflect the “legitimate concerns” of the Moro people.
The Jaafar-led BTC drafted a new Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which the President eventually certified as priority for Congressional deliberation. The 16th Congress shelved the old BBL draft amid questions aggravated by widespread outrage over the death of 44 police commandos in the Jan. 25, 2015 bloody clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
In Saturday’s interview, Jaafar said the MILF remains trusting and confident that the Duterte administration will enact the new draft into law and establish a more empowered Bangsamoro autonomous region in replacement of ARMM.
“We were with him before, we are with him now, and we will still be with him in the future,” Jaffar said, referring to the first President from Mindanao, citing the essence of Duterte’s having a Moro blood.
In a statement on Saturday, incumbent regional officials said they have invited MILF central committee officials along with members of the international community to grace the 28th ARMM foundation anniversary today (Monday) here.
The day-long commemoration will be capped by ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman’s delivery of his 7th state-of-the-region address (SORA) to update the public on the gains and concerns of the regional governance.
“This could be the last SORA of an ARMM governor if (Congress) will give its nod to the proposed creation of a new autonomous government (prescribed in the BBL). I am optimistic that will happen,” Hataman was quoted as saying in a statement posted on Sunday.
ARMM officials have lined up simple activities in today’s celebration in deference purportedly to the plight of victims in the five-month conflict in Marawi City, a component of the autonomous region.
Hataman said his administration has been supportive of the government’s peace processes with Moro revolutionary fronts such as the MILF, reiterating his readiness to facilitate a smooth leadership transition from ARMM to an MILF-led Bangsamoro region if its creation would cut his term short.
Hataman is in his second elective regional gubernatorial term, which will end in June 30, 2019.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2017/11/19/milf-assures-presence-in-armm-celebration/
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