Final peace pact seen by December

MANILA, Philippines - Chief government peace negotiator Marvic Leonen expressed confidence yesterday that the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front would be able to complete the three annexes of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) by the end of the year.

After the 33rd GPH-MILF Formal Exploratory Talks closed in Kuala Lumpur Saturday night, Leonen and his counterpart MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal came out with a joint statement saying that the latest round of talks in Malaysia “ended on a positive note.”

“The panels and their Technical Working Groups (TWGs) made substantial progress in crafting the annexes on power-sharing and wealth-sharing. The TWG on normalization was convened for the first time. Its members agreed on an outline of issues and had initial positive exchanges on these matters,” read the statement that was signed by Leonen, Iqbal and Malaysian facilitator Tengku Dato’ Abd Ghafar Tengku Mohamed.

The panels and their respective TWGs will meet again in December to continue working on the three annexes to the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro. They remain committed to complete the annexes before yearend.

In an interview, Leonen said the peace negotiators were able to end a day early because of the substantial movement in the crafting of the annexes through the efficiency of the three TWGs. He added that the working groups reached “substantial common points.”

In closing, Leonen said he is optimistic on the progress of the process and that (although) “there may seem to be many points that are left to the draft annexes produced by (their respective) TWGs, (he) is confident that it can be resolved.”

Iqbal, in his own closing statement, shared Leonen’s positive view: “I know everybody exerted their utmost efforts and have managed to settle many things. But the remaining issues are still so many and very hard but with determination and commitment of both parties, I think we will be able to overcome a lot of issues.”

During the closing ceremonies, Mohammed said he was hopeful the two panels would be able to finish their assigned tasks very soon.

“I don’t want the rhythm, the tempo and the support that the people have given to the government, the MILF, and the FAB to stop,” Tengku said.

Leonen explained that the FAB were not mere words contained in a document.

“It is a history of struggle, the struggle of the Bangsamoro people. And this struggle was continued in the negotiating table. The negotiations are now more than a decade. And that each word, each period, each comma contained in the Framework Agreement has saved a life in the future,” he said.

Leonen noted that both parties were determined to “finish the comprehensive agreement, the annexes, as soon as possible before the deadline this 2012.”

“I know that we will succeed and I know that there will be a consensus on the annexes because I have seen the sincerity of the Republic of the Philippines, the sincerity of this administration. That sincerity is seen in the fact that most of its most important individuals have been sent in these negotiations,” he said.

The Philippine government has tapped representatives from various agencies including the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Department of Justice, Department of the Interior and Local Government, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, National Security Council, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process among others to help in the negotiations.

MILF still wary of arrest

Meanwhile, MILF officials have urged the government to stop arresting their personnel as a confidence-building measure for the peace talks.

The halting of arrests would allow Bangsamoros to fully cooperate with the negotiations, MILF political and military officials said.

“We fully support the framework agreement and the continuing negotiation but how can we cooperate fully if we are apprehensive of being victims of arbitrary arrest?” an unnamed commander of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) was quoted by an MILF statement as saying.

The BIAF is the armed component of the MILF.

Some MILF members have pending arrest warrants for various criminal offenses. Among the MILF commanders facing criminal raps are those accused of taking part in the bloody clash in Al-Barka, Basilan last year.

Nineteen soldiers were killed and 14 others were injured after Army troops clashed with MILF members at Sitio Baisung, Barangay Cambug in Al- Barka town on Oct. 18, 2011.

Soldiers who figured in the clash were supposed to serve a warrant of arrest on MILF commander Dan Laksaw Asnawi, who was tagged in the killing of 14 Marines in Basilan in 2007, lawless element Long Malat and Abu Sayyaf leader Furuji Indama.

Government officials have demanded that the MILF surrender the commanders behind the clash.

The BIAF commander said their partnership with the government “is not strongly founded” if arrests against their personnel continue.

“While the peace panels are pursuing discussions on the cases involving detained MILF officers and members, we must be given the assurance that there will be no more arrest against MILF people,” he added.

The MILF said the call of the BIAF commander is being shared by thousands of its members.

“Arrests and detention against MILF adversely affect the trust and confidence in the GPH - MILF peace process,” it said.

Sammy Al Mansur, chief of staff of BIAF, called on all his subordinates to cooperate in all endeavors that would make the FAB successful.

Al Mansur stressed that the agreement would be successful if both parties remain faithful to its implementation.

The agreement would form a new political entity that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which President Aquino had called “a failed experiment.”

The Bangsamoro region will cover Isabela City in Basilan, Cotabato City, six towns in Lanao del Norte, and some areas in North Cotabato, in addition to the ARMM provinces Basilan, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. - Alexis Romero