Philippines says peace agreement collapse would aid insurgents

MANILA/CAMP DARAPANAN: Philippine President Benigno Aquino urged legislators on Wednesday not to abandon a plan for autonomy for Muslims to end a decades-old insurgency after a clash in which dozens of people were killed, saying doing so would dash hopes for peace.

A top official described the clash on Sunday, which shattered a three-year cease-fire, as a “misencounter” during a bid to arrest two militants who had taken refuge with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters.

Forty-four police commandos were killed and 12 wounded, along with 11 rebels, officials have said.

The rebels, fighting government forces for 45 years in the south of the largely Roman Catholic country, have agreed to disarm in exchange for an autonomous government.

But the Senate suspended work on a Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) to set up the autonomous region after the clash and some legislators fear it may be abandoned altogether.

“This shouldn’t happen,” Aquino said in an address to the nation aired on television and radio.

“The entire peace process is at stake with this law. If we fail to pass the law at the soonest possible time, the peace process will fail and the status quo will remain.”

The Muslim insurgency has killed 120,000 people, displaced 2 million and stunted growth in the poor but resource-rich south.

The Senate had hoped to pass the legislation creating the zone with economic and political powers before the end of March. Aquino wants arrangements completed before his term ends next year.

Earlier, Senate President Franklin Drilon said prospects for the legislation had been hurt by the violence.

“This incident may be used as a reason not to pass or really delay this BBL,” Drilon said in a radio interview.

The policemen were killed while they were pulling out of a village in Maguindanao province where intelligence reports indicated Zulkifli bin Hir, a wanted Malaysian bomb expert, was hiding, Aquino said.