CAMP DARAPANAN, Cotabato City – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) expects President Benigno Simeon Aquino to reiterate his support for an “undiluted” version of the Bangsamoro Basic Law in his last State of the Nation Address Monday.
In a press conference inside their main camp here, MILF Central Committee Chairman Al Hadj Murad Ebrahim said they “cannot accept” the proposed modifications of the BBL by the ad-hoc committe of the House of Representatives.
Murad said an “undiluted” BBL show “adherence to FAB (Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro) and CAB (Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro) and its annexes.”
The FAB and CAB were agreements the MILF jointly drafted and signed with the Philippine government in 2012 and 2014 respectively, after 17 years of negotiations.
Murad said the two agreements will be “enabled” by a law such as the BBL.
Aquino pronounced in numerous occasions his want to pass the BBL during his term which will end in 2016.
Aquino expressed to his allies in Congress, which form the majority, that the BBL form part his urgent legislative agenda.
However, Murad said that his obervations on the ongoing legislative process is that “many politicians do not want anything good for the Bangsamoro.”
“Because they are afraid that if we become strong we will secede from the country,” said Murad.
Murad said “most are using the BBL and peace process to their advantage.”
“There are senators who see themselves as popular if they are anti-BBL,” said Murad without dropping names.
He said these occur “because of biases against Moros in Manila, which is very unfortunate but is also the reality.”
“They oppose the BBL, but do not say anything particular (what they oppose),” he said.
Murad said “politicians may (also) use BBL because they need the support of the Moro people.”
However, Murad said the BBL “is not the peace process” and thay they “will still continue our demands based on FAB and CAB.”
The BBL met a pitstop after the Mamasapano, Maguindanao incident in January when police forces on a mission to allegedly arrest a wanted terrorist ended in death of almost 70 people including five civilians.
Army officials said responsible police officers failed to coordinate with them and the peace panel’s ceasefire mechanisms, which led to an encounter between various forces.
The police’s mission area in Barangay Tukanalipao is reportedly where two MILF base commands operate.
Other groups such the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, a faction of the MILF, and a private armed group also reportedly operate.
The incident was the first break of the MILF and the government’s ceasefire in three years.
The incident also spurred an inquiry from both the Senate and the House of Representatives which led to the BBL also being put into question.
The Army’s response to the incident and the peace panel’s credibility were also questioned.
In the lower house, an adhoc committee on the BBL was formed and has finalized its draft version of revisions last July but the plenary session did not push through.
The Makabayan partylist representatives who opposed many of the revisios on the original draft proposed by the joint Bangsamoro Transition Authority has called the BBL the “Bigay-Bawi Law” and have criticized the Aquino administration for its “insincerity to signed agreements with the MILF.”
Makabayan also demanded accountability from Aquino for his role in the police’s botched operations and the alleged role of the United States.
The police’s target in the operations Marwan is in the US wanted list.
Reports say the US privately “trained and funded” the operation.
During the hearing, the top commander of the police forces, Special Action Force Director Getulio Napenas, also said the US provided realtime intelligence on the incident.
However, a US official in the Philippines denied the accusations saying they only provided assistance during in the evacuation of the killed police officers.
Photos of US troops in civilian clothes while assisting the wounded police officers board an unmarked helicopter were spread in social media by various sources.
Moro group Suara Bangsamoro also accuse the US of “securing interest in the minerals and resources of the Bangsamoro.”
Suara describe Mamasapano as the entrance to the Liguasan Marsh where there are known oil, natural gas and deuterium deposits.
Murad said that since then they started an “education campaign” to their members through “political committees” which exist even to barrio (villages) levels.
He said they are “trying their best to control their members.”
“We are aware of ongoing penetration of people tied up with ISIS, as long as our people see that there is still hope for the peace process to move,” he said. (davaotoday.com)
