Manila: President Benigno Aquino announced on Sunday that the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has signed a “framework agreement” as peace negotiators wrapped up crucial parlays.
“This agreement creates a new political entity, and it deserves a name that symbolises and honours the struggles of our forebears in Mindanao, and celebrates the history and character of that part of our nation. That name will be Bangsamoro,” Aquino said.
The President described the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) as a failed experiment,” as he referred to an earlier initiative to arrive at self-governance for the Moro people in Mindanao.
The President said the ARMM failed to address the root causes of rebellion in southern Philippines and that the people continue to feel alienated by the system.
“Those who feel that there is no way out will continue to articulate their grievances through the barrel of a gun. We cannot change this without structural reform,” he said.
For this reason, he said, a new political entity that will embody enhanced autonomy will be established in Moro dominated Mindanao areas.
“This is the context that informed our negotiations throughout the peace process. And now, we have forged an agreement that seeks to correct these problems. It defines our parameters and our objectives, while upholding the integrity and sovereignty of our nation,” the President said during a press briefing at the palace.
The forging of the framework agreement, he said “paves the way for enduring and lasting peace in Mindanao.”
Teresita Deles, Aquino’s peace process adviser, said that a peace agreement will be signed on October 16.
Aquino’s announcement came after MILF and government peace negotiators ended their formal exploratory talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Friday.
Equitable
“This Framework Agreement paves the way for a final, enduring peace in Mindanao. It brings all former secessionist groups into the fold; no longer does the Moro Islamic Liberation Front aspire for a separate state. This means that hands that once held rifles will be put to use tilling land, selling produce, manning work stations, and opening doorways of opportunity for other citizens,” Aquino said.
More importantly, the President said, Bangsamoros will be given more equitable share. Equality in freedom of exercise of religion, share in the bounty of natural resources, among others, had been among the basic reasons for the Moro rebellion under the MILF and movements that had preceeded it.
“The Filipinos of Bangsamoro… will be assured a fair and equitable share of taxation, revenues, and the fruits of national patrimony. They will enjoy equal protection of laws and access to impartial justice,” Aquino said.
The President said that National government would continue to exercise exclusive powers of defence and security, foreign policy, monetary policy and coinage, citizenship, and naturalisation.
“The Constitution and lawful processes shall govern the transition to the Bangsamoro, and this agreement will ensure that the Philippines remains one nation and one people, with all of our diverse cultures and narratives seeking the common goal,” Aquino said.
A referendum will be held in the affected areas to ensure mandate from the people.
The Moro rebellion had been going on for decades and had led to the loss of lives of More than a thousand combatants and civilians while leaving parts of Mindanao in poverty and strife.
The negotiations between the government and the MILF had been held under the auspices of Malaysia as third party negotiator and with the support of the multi-national International Monitoring Team and several non-government organisations.
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