Comprehensive peace treaty

The SAF 44 appalling massacre by the combined forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) together with an alleged “private group,” is really a big setback to the attainment of peace in Mindanao. Under the prevailing atmosphere of righteous indignation and piercing cry for justice by the victims’ families and comrades-in-arms, immediate peace in the region seems to become more and more elusive. At this stage, the more pressing problem is in providing adequate and satisfactory answers to the many questions arising from this unfortunate tragedy.

Most, if not all of these questions could have been answered by Benigno Simeon Aquino III, the supposed President of this country and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces where the SAF 44 belongs. But for four days after the barbaric incident, he was “missing” in action thus giving rise to further confusion because of different versions coming from the mainstream media and the netizens who even came up with an intriguing question of “nasaan ang pangulo?”

And when he finally appeared to face the public, Aquino said nothing new. On the contrary, he just created more confusion because of his evasive and equivocal answers to the simple questions propounded. He was not straightforward and direct in his report to the nation and appeared to be pointing fingers again and evading ultimate responsibility despite the well accepted truism that the “buck stops” at the Office of the President. He could not even remember whether he gave the go signal to the operations to arrest a wanted Malaysian terrorist and his Filipino partner with a $6 million bounty on their heads.

Obviously the long road to peace in our land particularly in the strife-torn Mindanao has become longer as we continue to probe into and to search for answers to the many questions arising after that tragic incident resulting in the death of 44 elite members of the police special action force. Another probe has become necessary in our quest for truth behind this unfortunate happening because Aquino, the Commander-in-Chief is apparently not on top of the situation. The probe is necessary in order to arrive at a real and lasting peace in that part of our country.

But, at this stage, let us not give up hope that peace can still be achieved there and in other parts of our country where there are still armed conflicts. Most of all let us refrain from assailing, criticizing or blaming the members of the government peace panel who negotiated the peace treaty and who continue to diligently perform their job. They seem to be sincere, honest and dedicated in their desire to help in ending the seemingly incessant strife in Mindanao.

They may have some shortcomings but instead of criticizing them, we should help them by pointing out the defects especially in the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). Completely discarding what they have achieved so far and going into an all-out war to annihilate the culprits of the recent carnage and to avenge the death of SAF 44 is definitely out of the question. It will not result in true and lasting peace.

So what should be done now is to find out how we can attain that kind of peace. We should calmly and carefully take our time in studying the terms of the peace accord and the other documents required for its proper and effective implementation especially in the light of that recent deplorable incident where the other party to the peace treaty appears to be involve and culpable.

Consequently, foremost in the public’s mind is the question of whether our government is dealing with the right party. Is the MILF really the group that this administration should talk to in order to arrive at a strong and durable peace agreement?  At this stage the public seems to lack sufficient knowledge regarding the MILF’s true background and the legal bases in dealing with it. Past event show that it is just a splinter group which seceded from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) that already entered into a peace treaty with a previous administration. Apparently when this administration started talking peace with the MILF, the MNLF started making trouble in Mindanao again particularly the Zamboanga siege that resulted in so many deaths and destruction from which the people of the province have not yet full recovered up to now.

The next question coming into the public’s consciousness is the sincerity of the MILF especially because of their savage killing of the SAF 44 in connivance with the BIFF and a still unidentified private armed group. Why are they harboring wanted terrorists in the locality where they stay? Why did they savagely attack government forces enforcing warrants of arrest within the Philippine territory? Are they already in absolute control of that territory in such a way that they already consider government forces as intruders which they can repel? Was it really necessary for our government to coordinate with them before enforcing its laws and serving warrants of arrests? Is the BIFF still an ally of the MILF or really a splinter group which seceded from it?

Hence the most important requirement in arriving at a lasting and durable peace in Mindanao is   comprehensiveness. It must be binding and enforceable not only on the MILF but also on the BIFF and even the MNLF with which the previous Ramos government already had a peace treaty. The MILF should first get the BIFF back into its fold. On the other hand, the government should not completely discard the peace accord with the MNLF and include them in the peace agreement. This can be done by taking into consideration the terms of the previous peace treaty and just amend or incorporate them into the new one. Comprehensiveness also means that all arms and ammunitions must be decommissioned.

Having a comprehensive peace treaty is the only way to a lasting peace.

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