BBL death brings hope to MNLF agreements

MANILA, Philippines – An official of the Moro National Liberation Front has welcomed the failure of Congress to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), saying it saved the peace agreement between the government and the MNLF that was signed in Tripoli, Libya in 1976.

“What saves the situation is the death of the BBL. Had the BBL gone through Congress and the Senate and become a law, wala na talaga ang MNLF,” said Habib Mujahab Hashim, chairman of the MNLF’s Islamic Command Council (ICC).

Hashim claimed that the government violated the Tripoli agreement and the 1996 final peace accords when it signed the framework and comprehensive agreement of the Bangsamoro – blueprint of the BBL – with the MNLF’s rival faction, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

He said the intention was really to erase MNLF and to abrogate the 1976 Tripoli accord.

“So they failed to do that, they have no other choice but to go back to the legal, internationally recognized agreements – the 1996 final peace agreement and the 1976 Tripoli Accord,” Hashim said.

Hashim, who attended the 5th Tripartite Ministerial meeting last week in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between the Philippine government, MNLF and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), said the meeting was an indication that the government was going back to deal with the MNLF.

The 5th Tripartite Ministerial meeting saw the conclusion of the tripartite review on the implementation of the MNLF 1996 final peace accord, paving the way for the implementation of four consensus points.

The agreement includes the establishment of the Bangsamoro Development Assistance Fund (BDAF) that will be used for socio-economic development projects for MNLF communities.

The agreement on the Co-Management of Strategic Minerals will be referred to the Oversight Committee created by the Organic Act for the continuation of its devolution process.

Also discussed were the participation of the MNLF in the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) of the envisioned Bangsamoro parliament and the creation of the Tripartite Implementation Monitoring Committee (TIMC), a body that will oversee the implementation of all points of consensus arrived at by the TRP.

The communiqué was signed by Undersecretary Jose Lorena for the Philippine government, and Randolph Parcasio and Muslimin Sema on behalf of the MNLF as principals, along with OIC Secretary General Iyad bin Amin Madani for the 57-nation OIC.

Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles and Samsula Adju of the MNLF signed as witnesses. – With Romina Cabrera