Govt, MILF forge new peace pact Separate state dropped in carving out Bangsamoro

The government has forged a framework agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front that would pave the way for the creation of a Bangsamoro autonomous political entity in Mindanao, President Benigno Aquino III said Sunday. The agreement, which is set to be signed Oct. 15, also covers the disarmament and reintegration of MILF rebels in several phases until 2016 in a bid to end two decades of conflict in the countrys southern region. No longer does the MILF aspire for a separate state, the President said in a nationally televised address. The Filipinos of Bangsamoro will be assured a fair and equitable share of taxation, revenues, and the fr uits of national patrimony. They will enjoy equal protection of laws and access to impartial justice, Mr. Aquino added. The accord will be signed Malacaang by chief negotiators Marvic Leonen for the government and Mohagher Iqbal for the MILF, with President Aquino and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak as witnesses. The Bangsamoro political entity will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and will have a bigger territorial composition to include six municipalities in Lanao del Norte, several barangays in six municipalities in North Cotabato, Cotabato City, and Isabela City in Basilan. The MILF has agreed not to use the terms state or substate in the framework accord. It has also dropped its claim on the southern portion of Palawan as well as in other areas that are not contiguous to ARMM. The MILF used to demand for 735 villages for inclusion in the expanded ARMM under the aborted 2008 memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain, including the entire towns of Balabas and Bataraza in Palawan and several areas in Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Bukidnon, and Sultan Kudarat. Under the agreement, the national government will continue to exercise exclusive powers of defense and security, foreign policy, monetary policy and coinage, citizenship, postal service and naturalization. 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, the President said. Mr. Aquino said any law to be passed to implement the framework agreement will go through the usual legal process, including ratification through a plebiscite. The government will post a copy of the accord in government Web sites and publish it in newspapers as well before the signing ceremony. Everything will be disclosed; we have no desire to keep secrets. To the best of our ability, we have examined these agreemen ts; we believe we have reached balance and common ground. As a result, we have rectified the errors of the past, and installed mechanisms to make sure they do not recur, the President said. MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar described the agreement as a genuine solution to the Bangsamoro problem. We have been waiting for this for many, many long years. Everyone in Mindanao should be happy, not just the Bangsamoro peopl e, because finally the Bangsamoro issue will be addressed and resolved, Jaafar said. Senator Franklin Drilon said it would be up to the next Congress to craft a new law to amend the ARMM Organic Act. The government and the MILF will have until December to finalize the annexes of the framework agreement. So we will leave th e crafting of the new law to the next Congress, Drilon said in a separate interview. Drilon was among those who questioned the botched agreement in 2008 before the Supreme Court for lack of transparency and for violating the Constitution. Senator Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the Senate committee on peace and unification, said the transition committee must ensure a participative process in the drafting of the new law to avoid isolating other stakeholders in Mindanao. Senator Loren Legarda urged all stakeholders to participate in the final stages of the peace process to ensure that the Bangamoro peoples right to self-determination would be upheld within the bounds of national sovereignty.

In a statement from the United Kingdom, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the agreement will be good not only for Mindanao but for the entire Philippines. Full implementation of the agreement by 2016 can bring about peace, security, and development, Hague said. The UK is a memb er of the International Contact Group that has been supporting the peace process. US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. also welcomed the accord, saying Washington had long supported the peace process. While much work remains, successful implementation of this agreement would improve security, stability, and development for the people of Mindanao, Thomas said. Japan also issued a statement welcoming the agreement. Business leaders and civil society groups in Mindanao also welcomed the accord, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process reported Sunday. It is very heartening that prospects for a final peace agreement are getting brighter, said Bronx Hebrona of the Southweste rn Mindanao chapter of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He added that the peace dividend would improve the business climate in the region and improve the quality of life of all Mindanao residents. Aveen Acuna-Gulo of the Cotabato-based Institute for Autonomy and Governance, added that the time was ripe for a peace agreement. I see that there has been no environment such as this current one that favors a signing; everything is positive, said Acuna -Gulo said. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

Creation of separate state for mindanao as the solution to muslim problem

It is an accepted fact that poverty and inequality are the major causes of the insurgence in Mindanao. As to think that they only want independence is not wholly believable, because any human wouldnt want to risk his/her life just for the sake of independ ence. Quoting from the history, even Rizal didnt absolutely want independence. He only wants equality, same as what our Mindanao brethrens want today. They only want better living conditions and equality, which is reasonable as it is basic for every human to desire. In fact, the GDP per capita in Mindanao is far worse than that of Luzon and Visayas. Further, there is a big probability that the Muslim Problem can be solved, not with improved armaments but with improved policies. Moreover, the rebels are not even half the number of those living in Mindanao. It is not justifiable to sacrifice the whole for the part, a violation of the Principle of Totality. Especially i f there is no guarantee or assurance that if Mindanao became a separate state, it will sol ve our nations woes. With these in mind, it is very unnecessary and inappropriate to leave Mindanao all by its own. Unnecessary, in the sense that even if Mindanao will or will not be independent, the presence of the rebels remain same. They might even ha ve more chances to empower their troops with disillusioned Muslims. Give them your arm and they will grab your whole arm. Also, it may even open the possibility of Muslims killing Christians. To ad d, the apparent necessity of Muslims now is improving their living conditions and their dignity. And it is also inappropriate, because of the fact that Mindanaos economy is still not sufficient, as it continuously relies on government for most of the funds. By leaving th em all of a sudden, it is as if we have aborted them. Although it is a fact that Mindanao has complete natural resources, they are still incapable in producing enough for their basic necessities. Come to compare Makati and Davao, which do you think can generate more sustainable income? Most importantly, we are culpable if we would allow such to happen as we could foresee the consequences, and yet we allow it to happen.

Understanding the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement

The newly proposed creation of a Bangsamoro nation-state within the Mindanao territory was met with enthusiasm by the Muslim inhabitants of the ARMM and the international community. However it has been met with mixed reception by the common tao and has been outright scorned by the MNLF. Most people are happy that the seeds of peace have finally been planted in Mindanao by the signing of this historic framework deal. Others feel it is merely a ruse by the MILF to acquire money from the government-sponsored transitional government so that they may rebuild their forces and continue the fight against the occupiers from the north. Further still, others point out that the fra mework agreement does not take everyones interests into account, case in point, the MNLF. While the MILF was invited to play a key role in the preparation of the Bangsamoro state, presently the MNLF has absolutely no role in the process whatsoever, and unless an MNLF member is selected to be part of the transitional council, then they have no say in these talks. Nur Misuari is calling the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement an act of betrayal by the Philippine government and says that the signing of the agreement is a death sentence since it does not grant the Bangsamoro nation -state what they desired in the first place full autonomy. Basically, the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement can be seen as an amendment to Republic Act 6734, the act which created the ARMM. The present draft gives vague statements about the nature of the governance of the new proposed nation-state, its laws, and how its coexistence with the Central Government of the Philippines. There were 10 decision points made during the agreement, but the major, tangible differences between the ARMM and the proposed Bangsamoro State can be summarized as follows: 1. The Bangsamoro nation state will have a ministerial form of government instead of the present form, which consists of executive powers from the governor and legislative powers from the regional assembly. 2. The jurisdiction of Islamic Shariah law will be expanded over much of the new political entity. This may pose a problem as certain aspects of the medieval Shariah law may be in conflict with the Philippine Constitution. The Shariah provision for murder, for example, states that a victim may either choose to forgive the killer, or have him or her punished with the same death as the original murder victim, if it was intentionally committed. The Philippines abolished the death penalty in 2006. 3. Regions in Mindanao that wish to join the new Bangsamoro state may cast their votes to do so. If at least 10% of the qualified voters in that area voted for inclusion, then their home region will be assimilated into Bangsamoro territory. 4. Law enforcement shall be handled exclusively by a Bangsamoro police force. AFP troops will no longer have law enforcement powers in that area but will be there solely to defend the territory against external threats. Keep in mind that, as of this writing, the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement is still in draft form, and must be approved by congress before any action can be made.

Mindanao leaders welcome peace pact; breakaway Moro group adopts wait-and-see attitude
MANILA, Philippines Mindanao local leaders hailed on Sunday, the drafting of a preliminary agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front for the setting up of a new and more effective Bangsamoro autonomous entity. President Benigno Aquino III announced the drafting of a framework agreement for a new autonomous region for Mindanao Muslims, which could signal the beginning of the end to over four decades of Moro rebellion on the conflictridden region. This developed as the group that broke away from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, said they were adopting a wait-and-see attitude on the preliminary agreement, emphasizing their army would not give up the struggle for independence. On Sunday afternoon, Aquino announced in Manila that negotiators of government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), who have been working overtime in Kuala Lumpur starting Oct. 2, have hammered a framework agreement that would set into motion a transition towards a mutually acceptable Moro self-governance setup. 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 a spire for a separate state, Aquino said. 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 added. When the MILF started negotiating with government under the facilitation of Malaysia in 2003, it grudgingly abandoned its quest for a separate state. The framework agreement spells out the creation of a new autonomous political entity to be called Bangsamoro, which, Aquino said symbolizes and honors the struggles of our forebears in Mindanao, and celebrates the history and character of that part of our nation. The framework agreement will be the first in a series of pacts the two parties will craft in order to empower the Bangsamoro, which will replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and have far greater political and economic governance powers. Government and the MILF earlier set a three-year timeframe in transitioning from ARMM to Bangsamoro. Both parties also agreed to finish the entire negotiation process and implement major peace measures within the term of Aquino. The new breakthrough in the Mindanao peace process comes after 13 exploratory meetings in 21 months under the Aquino administration. It is the 32nd round under the facilitation of Malaysia beginning in 2003. It also comes more than four years after the failed signing of the landmark but controversial Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain that sparked a year-long war in Central Mindanao. This framework agreement is about rising above our prejudices. It is about casting aside the distrust and myopia that has plagued the efforts of the past; it is about learning hard lessons and building on the gains we have achieved, the President explained. The Bangsamoro will be the fifth time an autonomy setup is being formulated to address Moro political aspirations. But this will only be the third time such formulation was done in the context of peace negotiations. The two others were the 1976 Tripoli Agreement and the 1996 Final Peace Agreement between the Philippine government under the Ramos administration and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). The ARMM and the two Regional Autonomous Governments created during the Marcos era were unilateral initiatives of the Philippine government. The framework agreement defines a roadmap for building the competency of the Bangsamoro as a political entity. The Constitution and lawful processes shall govern the transition to the Bangsamoro, and this agreeme nt will ensure that the Philippines remains one nation and one people, with all of our diverse cultures and narratives seeking the common goal, the President said. He added that his administration has pledged to supporting a law that will truly embody th e values and aspirations of the people of Bangsamoro. Any proposed law resulting from this framework will be subject to ratification through a plebiscite. Once approved, there will be elections, Aquino further said. The crafting of a basic law is expected to happen within the transition phase that is widely expected to start anytime in 2013. With respect to the Bangsamoro, the national government will continue to exercise exclusive powers of defense and security, foreign policy, monetary policy and coinage, citizenship, and naturalization, Aquino said. The Filipinos of Bangsamoro, on the other hand, will be assured a fair and equitable share of taxation, revenues, and the fruits of national patrimony, the President added.

The current ARMM has a 50 percent share in the proceeds of exploiting strategic minerals within the region. The MILF originally proposed a 70-30 scheme in favor of the Bangsamoro. Mr. Aquino stressed that institutions must be fixed, and new capacities must be built nationally and re gionally in order to effectively administer the Bangsamoro. The citizenry, especially the youth, must be empowered so that new leaders may emerge, he added. The President has urged the public to actively participate in discussions about the content of the framework agreement, which will be published before the parties sign the agreement. The public uproar against the MOA-AD in 2008 was principally brought about by its secrecy, which bred negative perceptions. Lawyer Zainudin Malang of the Mindanao Human Rights Action Center said the agreement would be an opportunity to end the conflict. Lawyer Ishak Mastura, a trustee of the ARMM Business Council, called the pact a starting point of a long political process towards genuine autonomy. It is a very important signal to the world that the Philippine government has the political will to continue the peace process, no matter the ups and downs, Mastura said. In Kidapawan City, former North Cotabato Governor Emmanuel Piol, known to have opposed past agreements with the MILF, expressed support for the signing of the framework agreement. I dont see any problem once the government and the MILF agree to sign a framework agreement. This is a welcome development to me, he told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by phone. He said the negotiations were different from previous talks as these went through consultations with stakeholders. Its a good start for peace and development in Mindanao, Piol said. In Zamboanga City, Father Angel Calvo of the Peace Advocates Zamboanga said the framework agreement can be a decisive step to the final agreement for the creation of the New Autonomy political Entity. Acting Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao also welcomed the framework agreement, saying it would pave the way to the regions new political entity . Hataman, who is running for ARMM governor the 2013 elections, said that should he win, he would be willing to serve as a transitional government in case a peace pact is inked. The reforms that are being undertaken in the region are also geared towards helping the government and the MILF eradicate, if not ease, the problem on corruption, poverty and unstable peace and order, prior to the agreement signing, he said. But the Bangsamoro Islamic Liberation Fighters, a breakaway group of the MILF, earlier said it would continue fighting for its original demand the setting up of a separate state. Abu Misri, BIFF spokesperson, in an earlier interview said his group would continue the struggle for Bangsamoro freedom of the late MILF chair Hashim Salamat. We are applying a wait-and-see stance, said Abu Misri Mama, speaking for the BIFF, a breakaway of the MILF. Anything that is good for the Bangsamoro, we will support, b ut it that fails, we will maintain our stance and that is independence for Mindanao, Mama told the Inquirer by phone. If it succeeds, then we will support and recognize it, otherwise, our dream for independence of Mindanao remains, he added. Ricky Juliano, vice president for Mindanao of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), said the business community in Mindanao, especially in Muslim Mindanao, welcomes the framework agreement, citing the dividends Mindanaoans would get as result of it. It will surely improve the business climate and then the quality of life of all Mindanaoans, Juliano said. A genuine and acceptable peace pact between the government and the MILF will definitely usher peace and sustainable development in Maguindanao, Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Toto Mangudadatu said.

Sub-state Muslim Mindanao: An economic "kiss of death"

Peace is necessary for any country or region to progress. Therefore, no matter how elusive this maybe, it must be pursued with zest and vigor. Today, conflicts abound in many countries in the world. Rightfully though, most of these conflicts were mainly due to the ruthlessness of some rulers and dictators and the awakening of their hapless citizens brought about by the idea of freedom that have swept across their lands. Thus, the rulers of countries like Tunisia, Egypt, Syria and Libya have to bear the brunt of their citizens rant and fury as they fittingly demand for freedom and democratic space. Though, obviously not similarly situated, we also have our own brothers and sisters who are at it. Not contented of an autonomy, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) demanded decades ago of a separate state. Recently, as an off-shoot of PNoys discreet meeting with the MILF leadership in Japan, the y allegedly abandoned their quest for a separate state and have now settled for a sub-state. Unfortunately, albeit expectedly, before discussions can even start for their fresh proposals and counterproposals, the other side of the negotiating table (the MILF) has already given us an inkling that the usual cycle of negotiating, breaking away and killing will persist. Decades ago, it can be recalled that we negotiated and agreed with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) on certain autonomy of some parts of Mindanao. We thought peace shall ensue after that historic truce. Years later, however, some of its leaders broke away and formed the MILF. In fact, early this year (February, 2011), we were supposed to deal with them the second time around. Unfortunately (or, for showing their true colors, should we say, fortunately?), the MILF and Umbra Kato showed their true colors as the latter broke away before the negotiators can even warm their seats. Today, as we prepare for another peace talks, it is as clear as daylight that even if they can agree on some salient points, dealing with Umbra Katos Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (now renamed as Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement or BIFF) will still be totally unavoidable. Therefore, the negotiating-breaking away-killing cycle is here to stay. True, all these years, weve been negotiating with our Muslim brothers with the hope that peace shall reign and economic prosperity pervades. However, our ways of achieving this lofty objective remains questionable. Likewise, the sincerity of the MILF is just as objectionable. To recall, in August of 2008, we had the most disappointing ending of any negotiation weve done in decades, the aborted signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for an expanded Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). While the road that led to its supposed wrapping up in Malaysia was suspiciously smooth, the destination was ostensibly malicious. Every Juan just wondered on the haste and secrecy both parties have maintained throughout the stages of negotiations. Though seemingly choreographed, with foreign dignitaries standing in as supporting casts, it had an awful finale. The finale that was supposed to be a fitting tribute to the protagonists (the government and rebel panels), after a very long and tiring negotiations, turned out to be so disgraceful not just to the so upbeat and primed up foreign dignitaries, who were appropriately dressed for rare photo opportunities, but to the entire nation as well. A nation denied by its leaders the right to know the kind of future they are heading them too. As viewed globally then, the strongest dissentions had been from the political and business leaders in areas where ARMM through the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are trying to encroach or expand. Some civilians have even started arming themselves and are in fighting moods just to protect their interests. Looking from afar, one may suspect that these political and business leaders were simply exaggerating the situation. That that was just another chapter of the continuing saga of Christians and Muslims biblical animosities and no more than just a consequence of mutual distrust. I have presumed all these years too, just like any doubting Filipino, about this age-old conflict as no more than a legacy that had been passed on to generations.

In the meantime, however, let us set aside all these doubts and apprehensions brought about by the reality shows unfolding before us. In evaluating the pros and cons of the expansionist stance the MILF is taking, we must look into the basis by which ARMM was created, and whether or not, it has achieved its preconceived goals and objectives. Hailed then as the panacea for peace and progress, today, ARMM symbolizes nothing but wanton catastrophe. Heightened conflicts are reaching unparalleled peaks and mutual distrusts are piercing through every ARMM citizens bone. Warlords have continued amassing wealth while their poor followers had become unwilling paupers. Straightforwardly, the entire ARMM has no factories, just warlords and politicians mansions. Consequently, theyve continued to languish by their own doings. Amazingly, despite this undesirable track record, theyve pleaded not just for expanded territory but more autonomy in all fronts as well. They demanded to take control of their political and economic direction (including control of the banking system) within the expanded region. By their own gestures, this is as if the real panacea for the political and economic ills they are in right now. Whether it is an appropriate solution, only the future can tell. However, before agreeing or conceding to the demands of our brother Muslims for self-governance, both politically and economically, it is imperative that we must evaluate some facts about what they have done so far in this regard. In regard to good governance, history and current events showed otherwise. The truth is, in terms of good governance, ARMM has been a total failure. The Commission on Audit (COA) in their examinations of the accounts and records of ARMM reported that among other very serious infractions, the correctness of their bank accounts cannot be ascertained as bank reconciliations are not prepared. Moreover, huge cash advances have remained unliquidated. Worst, their (COA) reports have oft-repeatedly emphasized that they extremely doubt the physical existence of property, plant and equipment due to the continuous failure of the agency to conduct physical inventory. Likewise, the Province of Maguindanao (one of the provinces of ARMM were the Ampatuans rule) is in total financial disarray. For instance, COAs audit revealed that the validity, existence and correctness of the its cash in bank amounting to P107,268,451.94 cannot be ascertained due to the inability of the office of the provincial accountant to prepare monthly bank reconciliation statements for the entire year. Moreover, fixed assets valued at P345,227,725.51 cannot be ascertained due to the absence of unit value, physical count and subsidiary records. Worst, even the withheld amounts from employees for their contributions to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), PAGIBIG and PHILHEALTH totaling P7,088,625.70 are still unremitted. Ironically, the Province of Maguindanao solely exists on annual internal revenue allotments of over PhP500 million. Incredibly, despite all the mansions and businesses of the Ampatuans, Maguindanao earned a measly PhP204,294.62 in local taxes for the whole year of 2008. On the other hand, as a sub-state, they would likely emphasize that they would like to take care of their own banking system too. Whatever their basis are, the fact remains that they are even a failure in just running a bank, the Al-Amanah Bank, which was established supposedly for their own banking needs. While the Al-Amanah Bank is fully taken over by the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) on November 14, 2007, the fact remains that during their reign the bank was a total wreck. The fact is, since its inception, the bank has been saddled with huge operating losses and sizeable non-productive assets. In 2006, the bank just earned P9,513,859. Its total expenses was way above at P62,681,813 thus, leaving a net loss of P53,167,954. As this scenario has been going on for years, the accumulated losses has ballooned to P562,869,351. With a paid up capital of only P50,238,260, the bank is capital deficient (2006) by P510,137,715. Said capital deficiency simply means that the banks liability is P510,137,715 more than its assets. Though today, through DBP, operations have improved, it cant be denied that then, the banks financial condition has raised doubts as to its ability to continue as a going concern. As shown above, their track record of just running a bank was a mess. If it was a mess, then running the entire banking system in the region should be no less than a self-inflicted calamity. Therefore, with this impending tragedy, the rest of the country should be ready to bear the brunt of subsidizing the cost of the MILF and the would-be sub-state leaders whims and caprices. Passively, let us be living witnesses of an economic disaster that is about to unfold.