MILF peace panel turns into `implementing panel'

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines - Stakeholders are optimistic of better days soon for the Mindanao peace process with the sustained zeal of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to pursue its now 19-year diplomatic overture with Malacañang under a new president.

The optimism, though tempered and guarded yet for some, was fanned by Wednesday’s change by the MILF’s figurehead, Al-Haj Murad, of their negotiating panel to an “implementing panel” in keeping with a consensus with President Rodrigo Duterte to focus the peace process now on the implementation of all of their compacts with Malacañang.

Murad on Wednesday announced the change in the format of their peace panel and reaffirmed MILF's readiness to continue with their diplomatic engagements with the government under the Duterte administration.

Murad revealed the move essential to the peace process during a gathering on Wednesday in Camp Darapanan, their main enclave in northwest of Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao.

Muslimin Sema, chairman of the largest group in the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), on Friday said they were elated with Murad’s reassurance, on MILF’s behalf, to continue addressing the decades-old Moro issue via diplomatic and political initiatives.

Unlike the group of MNLF founder Nur Misuari, Sema, former mayor of Cotabato City, and the leaders of their more than 20 revolutionary states in southern Philippines are not hostile to the MILF.

“We are confident of very `promising days' soon for the Mindanao peace process because of the cordiality between the MILF and the Duterte administration,” Sema said.

Sema’s group had earlier forged a “convergence pact” with the MILF that bound both to cooperate in charting a common Mindanao peace roadmap despite having separate accords with the national government.

The MNLF forged a peace agreement with Malacañang on Sept. 2, 1996, during the time of President Fidel Ramos.

Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu said he has given the MILF full imprimatur, with clearance from Malacañang and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, for the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) hold office in one of the buildings in the old provincial capitol in Sultan Kudarat town for its officials to become accessible to the public.

Mangudadatu, Sema and many other peace activists in Central Mindanao supports the planned expansion of the membership of the MILF-led BTC with the inclusion of representatives from non-aligned sectors, the MNLF, the local government units and other peace-oriented blocs.

“We in the provincial government are happy to see the MILF and the administration of President Duterte move forward in addressing the nagging Mindanao Moro problem after a lull in the process as a consequence of the recent election period,” Mangudadatu said on Friday.

He also welcomed as a “positive development” the change in the structure and objectives of the MILF’s peace panel, now called "implementing panel."

Mangudadatu said his office is ready to embark on more peace and development projects needed to hasten the attainment of the socio-economic and political goals of the March 27, 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro between Malacañang and the MILF.

Duterte had said, while in Buluan town in Maguindanao last July 22, he can flex his authority and influence for the MILF to have a Bangsamoro government, to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, as long as all unconstitutional provisions in its proposed charter, the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), are taken out.

Congress balked from approving the BBL, the enabling measure for the creation of an MILF-led Bangsamoro government, during the time of President Benigno Aquino III due constitutional restraints.

The new commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID), Major Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., earlier said he will embark on peace programs needed to sustain the fragile peace now in many areas in Maguindanao, where the MILF has dozens of government-recognized enclaves.

“It is very important to sustain the initial gains of the MILF and the new administration, the Duterte administration, in upholding, in continuing with the peace process, by ensuring there is peace on the ground,” Galvez said.

Galvez, who had served as chairman of the government’s Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities that deals with a counterpart in the MILF, assumed as 6th ID commander only last Monday.