MILF won’t abandon peace process

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will not abandon the peace process despite uncertainties on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

A member of the MILF peace panel gave this assurance at a forum dubbed “Implications of Mamasapano on the Peace Process: Moving Forward” in Makati City yesterday.

But what appears to be big stumbling in the implementation of the historic 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) through the BBL is the tragic Mamasapano carnage in Maguindanao last January 25.

In an interview with Prof. Abhoud Syed Lingga, MILF peace panel member, he said the Moro revolutionary group is not about to abandon the 18-year-long negotiations to resolve the Bangsamoro’s struggle for self- determination and attain peace in Mindanao.

“We still believe in the peace process. We still believe that both parties have obligations in the implementation of the agreements (signed). We are still counting on that the government will fulfill its obligations in the agreements,” he said.

He suggested ways on how to move forward now that the passage of the BBL is stuck in congressional limbo.

One, Lingga said, separate the issues about Mamasapano from the BBL; two, continue legislative proceedings on the BBL, and discussion should be on a higher level.

Lingga contended that the Mamasapano incident has “no substantial link with the BBL, only peripheral issues,” such as on coordination and ceasefire violation.

The MILF negotiator said “it is better for Congress to pass the BBL this year.”

Government chief negotiator Prof. Miriam Coronel Ferrer agreed with Lingga that BBL should be passed this year, or else there will be implications, such as on the decommissioning of MILF combatants and their weapons and the implementation of socio-economic development programs.

She cited the connection of the various aspects of the peace agreements with each other.

“They are all connected. All the other components are in tune with each other. As we move forward legislating the Bangsamoro Basic Law and instituting the Bangsamoro government, we will have the gradual and phased decommissioning process,” Ferrer said.

“So if the political or legislative process is delayed, all the other aspects are delayed, including in the security and socio-economic components. In the security component, it includes the decommissioning,” she emphasized.

But like the MILF peace panel, the GPH side has not lose hope on the BBL’s passage.

Meanwhile, Ferrer spoke about what she dubbed “the trending lies on the BBL.”

The No. 1 lie, she said, is that the Bangsamoro government will have its own police force and the MILF will become the police force.

“That is not true; the Bangsamoro police will be the regional command of the Philippine National Police (PNP), so it will be part and parcel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and they will still be under the administrative supervision of the Napolcom (National Police Commission).

Ferrer said the No. 2 lie is about the alleged P75 billion that would be given to the Bangsamoro government, or sometimes being claimed to be given to the MILF.

“The computations are not like that. Our computations are as follows: It is an annual block grant, which is 2.4 percent of the national total revenue collection, and for 2016 that is estimated to come up to P27 billion, plus the P7 billion Special Development Fund, for the first year alone in 2016, plus the P1 billion transition fund... for a total of P35 billion,” she clarified.

Ferrer hastened to add that the envisioned Bangsamoro government will be paying for the salaries of the (tens of thousands) of teachers and health workers, unlike other local governments whose teachers and health workers are being paid for by the Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Health (DOH), unless they are local high schools or local universities.

Ferrer said there is hope the BBL will pass, particularly with the support of President Aquino and peace process supporters in both chambers of Congress.

She said, however, that “no BBL is the same with a mangled BBL.” We have to find an alternative.

“Why do we have to have (something) that is worse than the ARMM?” she asked.