OPAPP, AFP to foster reconciliation in Bangsamoro

TAGAYTAY CITY -The decades-long armed conflict in Mindanao, which spanned more than 40 years and several administrations, claimed the lives of thousands, destroyed billions worth of property, and turned once vibrant communities into virtual ghost towns.

Stakeholders have realized that the use of force will not put an end to the cycle of violence. This understanding has led to an approach that aims to promote healing and reconciliation in Mindanao, particularly in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), in partnership with the Armed Forces of the Philippines Technical Working Group on Transitional Justice and Reconciliation (AFP-TWG on TJR), organized a threeday training-workshop on November 27-29 on Transitional Justice and Dealing with the Past to ensure the effective implementation of TJR in the BARMM.

The workshop sought to deepen the appreciation and understanding of AFP officers and personnel on TJR, focusing on the organization’s critical role in the implementation of transitional justice interventions, programs, and processes in the region.

The TJR component under the normalization track of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, aims to address the legitimate grievances of the Moro people, correct historical injustices against them, and address human rights violations and marginalization.

During the training, members of the AFP-TWG were asked to formulate recommendations on how to advance TJR’s four pillars namely: Right to Know, Right to Justice, Right to Reparation, and Guarantee to Non-recurrence. These inputs will then be considered in the enhancement of the AFP’s Action Plan for TJR. “Nagawa na ng Armed Forces ang kanyang (The Armed Forces did their) role to [bring] these rebels to the negotiating table, at nagkaroon na ng (and there was) agreement. ‘Nung (in) 1997 kay (with) Nur (Misuari), ngayon ‘yung (now) CAB with the MILF. Tapos na natin noon (It was completed),” retired Brig. Gen. Buenaventura Pascual told the participants. “This time, kailangan na nating mag-transition. I-punta na natin sa tama itong rebelyong ito. Yung role natin dito, tapos na, and it’s good na narining ninyo yung (we need to have transition. Let’s correct this rebellion. Our role here is over and it’s good that you hear) TJR because this will be helpful for us to exit from Internal Security Operations at papunta na tayo sa (and we’re heading to) external,” Pascual explained. He, however, admitted that there have been some shortcomings committed by the military in the past, and now is the right time to address them. “Nagkaroon talaga ng [shortcomings] noon. Ang pakiusap ko lang sa Armed Forces as an institution, hindi tayo mawawala kung i-admit natin ang [shortcomings]. Mas lalo tayong tataas kung gagawin natin yun (We really committed shortcomings before. My appeal to the Armed Forces as an institution, we will not become weak if we admit our shortcomings. We will become stronger if we will do it),” he said. Meanwhile, Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. lauded the efforts being undertaken by the AFP to bring healing and reconciliation to the Bangsamoro region. “We appreciate the AFP is taking steps to correct the historical injustices against the people of Bangsamoro through multisectoral engagement with CSOs and other government agencies,” Galvez said. “Rest assured that we will continue to support the AFP in capacity building, and the formulation of the TJR Action Plan,” he said. (PR)