(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte signed an Executive Order reconstituting the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), expanding its membership from 15 to 21, in a ceremony at Malacañan Palace on Monday, November 7, 2016.
The President has directed that the Mindanao peace process be inclusive as this Executive Order will expand the BTC’s membership, with the inclusion of three members from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) among the government nominees.
Eleven members, including the BTC Chair, will come from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and 10 will be nominated by the government.
GPH Implementing Panel Chair Santiago said in a press statement that the government nominees were “a diverse group selected on the basis of their proven capacity to listen to many voices”.
President Duterte has also directed that since there is only one Bangsamoro, the provisions not yet implemented in the 1996 agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro with the MILF be consolidated into one enabling law.
Thus, in view of this, the government has agreed to include among its nominees three members from the MNLF.
Present during the signing ceremony are Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chairman Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim, Government of the Philippines (GPH) Implementing Panel Chairperson Irene Santiago, and MILF Implementing Panel Chairman Mohagher Iqbal.
-Bold move towards lasting peace in Mindanao –
Secretary Dureza described the signing of the Executive as a bold move towards lasting peace in Mindanao.
BTC will be the body tasked to draft an enabling law that will serve as the legal foundation of the future Bangsamoro government in Mindanao.
“The signing of EO on BTC serves as the light at the end of the tunnel,” Dureza said in a chance interview after President Duterte signed the EO.
He said that this piece of document will serve as the skeletal framework of the new law that will be created by Congress that will end the “elusive peace” in Mindanao in the past five decades.
MILF chair Al-Hajj Murad said that the MILF welcomed the signing of the EO that would lead to the full implementation of the comprehensive agreement on the Bangsamoro and other agreements, and thus hasten the peace process in Mindanao.
“I stand before you not to create division…. I stand before you to create mutual understanding so that despite our differences we may still live together and build together a better future,” the MILF chair said in his speech in Malacanang.
“Today indeed is a very special day, and I am elated to witness the triumph of our collective desire to continue to pursue the path of peace despite the many challenges, and so build on the community gains of our peace process,” he said.
Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, and cabinet members with other distinguished guests were also present during the signing ceremony.
Secretary Dureza has announced that the government will also talk to a five-person panel to be formed by MNLF founding Chair Nur Misuari.
According to Dureza, the President caused the suspension of hearings and enforcement of warrants of arrest against Misuari so he could participate in the peace process.
–People’s Peace Tables to be formed —
Significant stakeholders such as the Sultanates, indigenous peoples, local government units, women, youth, sectoral groups, and others will be able to participate in the peace process starting this month,
Santiago announced, through People’s Peace Tables to be formed in various parts of the country.
“People will sit at the table, too. It is not only the representatives of the government, the MNLF and the MILF that have a place at the table.” Santiago said. “Peace is everyone’s concern so we must have a venue like the peace tables where people’s voices can be heard and taken seriously.”
“Peace tables will also be tables for healing and reconciliation among our people because peace building is more than passing a law, as important as that is. It is also about feelings of being included and respected and about building relationships,” she added.
According to Santiago, the BTC is expected to submit the draft law to Congress in the middle of next year. (with a report from Philippine News Agency)
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