MILF, Philippines agree to move forward despite non-passage of BBL
Photo credit: AFP/File
Philippine negotiators and the country’s largest Muslim armed group have agreed to move forward despite congress’ failure to pass a law creating autonomy, a move that analysts have warned could trigger violence.
In a joint statement issued Thursday, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the government said they met in Kuala Lumpur to “re-assess means of moving forward” after the legislative debacle they blamed on congressmen fearful of a public backlash in May, when the mostly Catholic country goes to the polls to choose national leaders.
“Today could have been a much happier occasion, if only we had the law that would have moved our road map forward in leaps and bounds. But we do not have the law – yet,” chief negotiator Miriam Coronel Ferrer said.
Philippines government chief peace negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer (3rd R) speaks at a joint news conference of the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, January 31, 2015. (Reuters/File)
She said they had exerted “extraordinary efforts” to try and get Congress pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which was supposed to pave the way for the establishment of an expanded autonomous region envisioned under the 2014 peace pact.
“We saw the session days in Congress wither away, without a BBL in sight,” Ferrer said.
Both the House of Representatives and the Senate went into recess on February 5, and will not reconvene after the May 9 national and local elections when Filipinos choose a successor to President Benigno Aquino, elect half of the upper chamber and the entire membership of the lower house.
The BBL now has been archived by Congress, meaning it has to be refiled in July when sessions resume, officials said.
Ferrer said the peace pact remains the country’s “most viable road map” to achieve peace in Mindanao, the country’s southern third where decades of fighting left many areas poor and under developed.
“The next administration would be foolhardy to wage war, and [have] everything to gain by upholding this pathway. It will have enough time to see,” the peace process through, she said.
MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said the group remained committed to peace, but stressed congress must enact the law before disgruntled members take up arms again.
“There is widespread frustration on the ground by our people and members of the MILF. They accused the government of resorting again to delaying tactic and just managing the conflict in Mindanao,” Iqbal warned.
Iqbal said the MILF will jointly seek ways to “address this dangerous situation and avoid actions that may increase frustration.”
Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal and Teresita Deles, presidential adviser on the peace process, arrive for a forum with foreign correspondents based in the Philippines, on the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that would pave the way for the creation of a new autonomous political entity that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in southern Philippines, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015 at suburban Mandaluyong city, east of Manila. (AP/File)
While he did not specifically outline the threats, other groups have opposed the peace talks and have carried out attacks. The military has said earlier it was closely watching members of the splinter Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, as well as the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf and foreign militants who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.
The peace process was supposed to be a legacy by the Aquino government, but a botched police operation last year that left 44 gunmen dead inside an MILF territory forced many legislators to withdraw support for the bill.
That clash did lead to the death of an international terrorist at an MILF camp, but the police offensive was not properly planned and kept rebel forces in the dark in violation of the peace pact. It also broke the relationship of trust enjoyed by both parties, the MILF had said.
Iqbal said the MILF would continue to adhere to the peace deal, but in the wake of the congressional debacle stressed they would continue their right to self-determination.
“The Bangsamoro (Muslim) is on the right side of history,” he said.
