Rody meets MILF, MNLF leaders

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – President-elect Rodrigo Duterte met here with leaders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Friday in what was described as a “meeting of a brother to a brother.”

The two groups agreed to back Duterte’s plan to change the form of government from unitary to federal, one of the Moro leaders who attended the meeting said.

“A federal system could very well put in place a government of transparency and accountability, and effectively address the peace and order problems, including drug trafficking and kidnap for ransom,” MNLF leader Abul Khayr Alonto told reporters after the meeting held at Hotel Elena.

“In this aspect, the MNLF and MILF are united in solidarity with the president-elect,” he added.

Duterte discussed the issue of converging the two Bangsamoro groups.

MILF vice chair for political affairs Ghazali Jaafar said they discussed the proposed merger of the important provisions of the separate agreements made by the MNLF and the MILF with the government.

“The purpose (of the meeting) is to unify the position of the Bangsamoro leaders by way of convergence, to resolve those concerns that have been addressed separately,” Jaafar said.

The matter of uniting the MILF and the MNLF would be discussed further in future meetings, he said.

Alonto, on the other hand, said the discussion also focused on the federal form of government as proposed by Duterte.

He said current presidential form of government has failed to address the problems plaguing Mindanao.

“The centralized form of government has been a dismal failure. That is precisely why you still have war in Mindanao,” he said.

The meeting started past 9 p.m. and lasted for about two hours.

Also seen at the meeting were MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim and Jaafar.

“There is no substitute for a brother talking to a brother, with the MILF and the MNLF, and of course with president Duterte,” Alonto said.

?When asked if Duterte promised them anything, Alonto replied: “You don’t have to. We were talking brother to brother. You don’t need promises or commitment.”

“It was done in (a) fraternal manner. All of us are committed to that. There will be change of government and most likely through a constitutional convention,” he added.

Changes

The planned shift from unitary to a federal form of government is one of Duterte’s priorities, anchoring his presidential campaign on maintaining peace and order and promoting inclusive growth.

Federalism has been implemented in different ways but it basically entails the sharing of powers between the central government and local state governments.

In countries that adopted the system, local state governments can impose taxes, set-up courts, build infrastructure and craft their own business regulations.

Jaafar and Murad also briefed Duterte on what the MILF agreement with the government contains.

“He (Duterte) also reiterated to us his campaign promise that once he becomes president, he will enact into law the BBL,” Jaafar said, referring to the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. 

Jaafar stressed that without the BBL, the concerns of the Bangsamoro people cannot be properly addressed. 

In an interview early this week, Jaafar said the MILF wants the BBL to be enacted first before the form of government is changed to federalism. 

He believes it may take time before the peace agreement between the MILF and the government is implemented if the creation of the Bangsamoro government is subsumed by efforts to shift to federalism.

Jaafar, however, said the MILF and the MNLF are ready to come up with a united stand on the Bangsamoro government. He said such stance might require improvements in the proposed BBL.

The BBL aims to establish a new Bangsamoro political entity with enhanced autonomy. The measure would implement the final peace agreement forged by the Aquino administration and the MILF in 2014.

The 16th Congress, however, failed to enact the measure, causing disappointment among the MILF and its supporters.  

The 2014 peace agreement, however, is not without controversies.

MNLF founding chairman Nur Misuari is opposed to the proposed BBL, saying it goes against the Tripoli Agreement and the 1996 peace deal with the government.

Misuari has been charged with rebellion in relation to the 2013 Zamboanga siege and is now in hiding.  

The Tripoli deal was signed in 1976 and led to the establishment of what is now known as the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). – Edith Regalado