‘Spoilers could derail Mindanao peace accord’

MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana warned the people that disagreements among some Muslim tribes over the newly enacted Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) could be taken advantage of by spoilers of the peace agreement to continue derailing the accord between the government and the Moro rebels.

He told a media dialogue last Thursday afternoon that the disagreements were borne out of tribal differences among the Maguindanaoans against the Maranaos, Tausogs and their Samal colleagues.

“Let us admit it, not all the Muslim tribes are sold to the BOL because of serious concerns that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will be lording it over them,” said Lorenzana, who is a native of Cotabato.

The current concerns over the BOL are simply the sentiments of some people but the issue could be taken advantage of by spoilers of the peace agreement.

Lorenzana was apparently referring to members of the Bangsamoro Freedom Fighters (BIFF) who are influenced by the Islamic State (IS) terror group in the Middle East and other lawless elements that have opposed the BOL and are continuously waging a war against the government.

He pointed out that the success of the BOL now rests on the MILF leadership, particularly on the sharing of political and leadership positions once the newly formed Bangsamoro region is ratified by the people.

Lorenzana said the MILF is now helping the military in going after the BIFF.

The defense chief had recently received from Mindanao leaders reports on the issues being raised against the BOL.

One political figure in Cotabato, Lorenzana said, has informed him that MILF rebels are really determined on pushing the BOL to residents that could result in security problems after the plebiscite for the BOL.

“There is an ongoing war (between pro- and anti-BOL) in the social media in Cotabato City where Mayor Cynthia Guiani has been trying to rally the people for them not to join BOL,” Lorenzana.

Guiani’s move was in response to the MILF’s prior declaration that Cotabato City will be part of the BOL, even before the ratification of the new law through a plebiscite that will replace the present Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARRM).

Another political clan that has initially expressed their reservation to the new law are the Tans of Sulu.