MILF negotiator leads Bangsamoro transition body

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino appointed yesterday the 15 members of the Transition Commission (TransCom) that will draft the Basic Law, which will pave the way for the establishment of a Bangsamoro region in Mindanao.

The commission will be headed by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal.

The seven members representing the government panel are Akmad Sakkam, Johaira Wahab, Talib Benito, Asani Tammang, Pedrito Eisma, Froilyn Mendoza and Fatmawati Salapuddin, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a news briefing.

Meanwhile, those nominated by the MILF are Robert Alonto, Abdulla Camlian, Ibrahim Ali, Raissa Jajurie, Melanio Ulama, Hussein Munoz and Said Shiek.

TransCom was allotted a total of P100 million for its existence, Lacierda said.

He said government nominees were screened by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos-Deles, and Secretary Mehol Sadain of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos.

Lacierda said the appointees passed the qualification requirements: must be a Bangsamoro, has a track record in support of the peace process, and established probity, untainted by any charge or suspicion of corruption or abuse of power, among others.

“The appointment of these individuals who represent vital Bangsamoro constituencies and have proven their commitment to pursuing amity and goodwill in Muslim Mindanao is a key step on the roadmap to the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Political Entity,” he said.

“This is a manifestation of the seriousness of both the Philippine government and the MILF to uphold the historic Framework Agreement and move forward in the peace process,” he added.

The establishment of a Bangsamoro region in Mindanao is provided for in the framework agreement that the government and MILF signed last October.

Aquino has issued Executive Order 120 for this purpose, a portion of which reads: “The Commission may sit en banc or constitute itself into divisions, as it may deem necessary for the speedy, effective and efficient performance of its functions.”

The EO states that the commission will move forward the “comprehensive peace process agenda in Mindanao” which is necessary for the achievement of “real and inclusive regional and national development goals.”

The commission will recommend a draft bill to Congress creating the Bangsamoro.

Deles said Muslims can then lobby, which is legal, with the congressmen and coordinate with them on how to write a law for themselves.

In turn, Congress will deliberate on the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which will govern the residents in the area but which will be bound by the 1987 Constitution and will remain under the national government.

Inclusive consultations

According to former chief government negotiator and now Supreme Court Justice Marvic Leonen, the TransCom will hold all-inclusive consultations in the affected areas to know the pulse of the people in the proposed Bangsamoro.

Leonen said that the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will continue to exist until a new law is crafted by Congress.

The establishment of the Bangsamoro region is expected to be carried out within the term of President Aquino, which ends on June 30, 2016.

Officials of the Bangsamoro region will be joining the May 2016 synchronized elections.

The Basic Law of the Bangsamoro will have to be ratified before President Aquino steps down.

Deles said the Chief Executive will certify as “urgent” the measure that will establish the Bangsamoro region.

Challenges ahead

Deles said many challenges and obstacles lie ahead as the 15-member Commission organizes itself and embarks on a collaborative endeavor to draw out stakeholders’ sentiments in shaping inclusive, participatory and empowering social and political institutions in the future Bangsamoro region.

She said that it is fortunate that this latest milestone in the peace process happens during the 27th anniversary of the People Power Revolution, a peaceful uprising that changed the course of Philippine history through the collective efforts of the Filipino people.

For her part, government peace panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said they will closely work with the TransCom.

“Truly, the tasks before the Transition Commission are many and varied. In the first month, it will have to define its rules and procedures, organize its financial and logistical systems, and map out its work plan,” Ferrer said.

She said the TransCom needs to spell out the various provisions in the annexes to the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

DSWD program for MILF

In a related development, more than 11,000 family members of the MILF will soon benefit from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)’s cash-for-work program, officials said yesterday.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said the cash-for-work scheme is being implemented in Mindanao under the newly launched “Sajahatra Bangsamoro” program.

Sajahatra Bangsamoro, or Peace Bangsamoro in Arabi-Melayu-Bahasa, is a government socio-economic peace initiative that aims to uplift the health, education and livelihood of Bangsamoro communities.

The program was launched following President Aquino’s historic visit to the MILF’s camp in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao recently.

“The long wait is over for development and progress in Mindanao. Our Muslim brothers can now have access to basic social services and will eventually become government’s partners in nation-building,” Soliman said.

She said beneficiaries of the cash-for-work program will receive salary based on the prevailing regional wage rate in exchange for doing community projects.

The Sajahatra Bangsamoro will be implemented in MILF communities for 18 months while waiting for the signing of the final peace agreement.

Iqbal, on the other hand, has expressed support for the government’s conditional cash transfer project known as Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

The program “helps thousands of our brothers and sisters in the whole Mindanao region,” Iqbal was quoted by the DSWD as saying.

However, he appealed to the government to closely monitor the project to prevent politicians from taking advantage of the beneficiaries to advance their political cause.

The Pantawid Pamilya program provides direct education and health subsidies to families who comply with certain conditions, including regular school attendance for children and regular health center visits for mothers and children.

Meanwhile, Ernesto Alcanzare, lead convenor of Yes for Peace, said that as of Feb. 20, a total of 6,155,945 Filipinos have responded to the campaign calling for the conduct of open and participatory peace negotiations between the government and armed groups and for a comprehensive peace agreement before the end of 2013. – With Jose Rodel Clapano, Helen Flores