SULU - The Philippine government and the former rebel group Moro National Liberation Front have agreed to reconstitute its joint Peace Coordinating Committee into the Peace Implementing Committee in an effort to carry out the full implementation of the peace accord signed by both sides in September 1996.
The government and the
MNLF also signed a resolution to strengthen the composition of the joint Peace
Implementing Committee. Both sides agreed to submit the new composition of
their implementing committees which shall be composed of seven members each as
follows: Chairperson,Vice chairperson (who shall come from the four
subcommittee chairpersons), four chairpersons of the subcommittees as members,
and two alternate members who shall also serve as members of technical working
groups, which shall be created based on need.
"The implementing
committee shall have subcommittees to tackle specific concerns on security,
socio-economic, confidence building measures, and transitional justice,"
the resolution reads.
The implementation of the
Bangsamoro peace agreements is one of the five-point Peace, Reconciliation and
Unity Agenda of the Marcos administration. The reconstitution is needed to
strengthen the collaboration of the government and the MNLF, especially in
implementing remaining commitments on the Bangsamoro Development Assistance
Fund and Tripartite Implementation Monitoring Committee, as well as a
transformation program for MNLF combatants, their families and communities.
The Transformation
Program is anchored on Article 20a of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement which
states that “there shall be a special socio-economic, cultural and educational
program to cater to MNLF forces not absorbed into the AFP (Armed Forces of the
Philippines), PNP (Philippine National Police), and the SRSF (Special Regional
Security Forces) to prepare them for productive endeavors, provide for
educational, technical skills and livelihood training and give them priority
for hiring in developmental projects.”
The creation of the Peace
Coordinating Committee for the government side was created through a Memorandum
from the Executive Secretary issued in November 2019 under the Duterte
administration.
BTA Deputy Speaker Ustadz Abdulkarim Tan Misuari
Bangsamoro Member of
Parliament Randolph Parcasio, quoting MNLF founding chairman Nur Misuari, said
the MNLF believes that "time will come when firearms will not be daily
activity and a culture – when carrying firearms will be considered a
shame."
The MNLF thanked the
Marcos administration for its steadfast commitment to the Bangsamoro peace
agreements. The Bangsamoro peace process in Mindanao started during the time of
the late president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., when he forged the 1976 Tripoli Peace
Agreement with the MNLF.
The pact became the basis
of the succeeding peace agreements in the Bangsamoro such as the 1996 peace
agreement and the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro signed in 2014 between
the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Just recently, the MNLF
and the MILF commemorated “The Great Bangsamoro National Unity and
Solidarity Day,” according to Misuari.
In a Facebook post, Misuari wrote: “On September 11, 2022, the leaders of the two Moro revolutionary groups, MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari and MILF Chairman and BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ibrahim, met for the first time in decades to usher in a new era of unity and solidarity in pursuit of lasting peace in the Bangsamoro homeland.”
“Named as “The
Great Bangsamoro National Unity and Solidarity Day” by Chairman Nur, both
agreed to strengthen partnership and unification efforts towards sustainable
development and a brighter future for the Bangsamoro people.” (Priam Nepomuceno
and The Mindanao Examiner)
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