Deles in tears, declares 'no more war'

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos-Deles broke out in tears at the signing of the Bangsamoro agreement between government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

"No more war. No more children scampering for safety. No more evacuees. No more lost school days or school months. No more injustice. No more misgovernance. No more poverty. No more fear and no more want," Deles said.

She continued her speech with her voice breaking. "Tama na. We are all tired of it," Deles said.

Read: Bangsamoro deal sealed

She vowed an end to the decades of fighting between Moro separatists and government forces after narrating the story hundreds of young children who fled their homes by themselves and crossed the Libungan river in Cotabato away from gunfire.

"A new dawn has come, the dawn for books, not bullets; for paintbrushes, not knives; for whole communities, not evacuation centers; and for rewarding toil, not endless strife," said Deles, who was in the forefront of peace initiatives even before her appointment in July 2010.

Muslim women witnessing the historic event at the Malacañang grounds also wept as the transition to the establishment of the Bangsamoro region officially began.'

Also read: MILF chief: MILF chief: Bangsamoro deal also for MNLF

Over 1,000 people including dignitaries and representatives from other countries such as Malaysia and Saudi Arabia attended the outdoor event.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak flew to Manila despite the tragedy that befell his country with the disappearance of Flight MH370 carrying 239 people. Malaysia served as host to the peace negotiations that led to Thursday's signing.

The road map to replace the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which observers called a failed experiment, starts with the creation of the Transition Commission tasked to draft the Bansamoro Basic Law.

Congress will then approve the proposed law, which will then have to be marked urgent by President Benigno Aquino III.

Once ratified, the law establishing ARMM will be abolished and the Transition Committee will be dissolved.