MILF official hits gov't for delays on FAB

MANILA, Philippines - An official of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has scored the government for the supposed delays in the crafting of annexes of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

In an article posted on the MILF website luwaran.com, Khaled Musa, deputy chairman of the group’s information committee, said the delays have triggered negative reactions on the ground.

The article quoted Musa as saying that “frustration on the ground is gaining momentum as a consequence of too much unnecessary delay from the government.”

“He (Musa) also disclosed the radical elements within the MILF is beginning to be restive and hitting the MILF and its peace panel,” the article read.

“More than three months have been consumed since the annex on wealth-sharing was initialed without clear direction for the talks.”

Musa accused the government of sitting on the annexes unnecessarily in the guise of due diligent study.

“What is good is that the cause of delay is government,” he said.

The annexes of the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement involve wealth sharing, normalization and power sharing.

These annexes, which are still under review, will have to be completed before a final peace agreement with the MILF is signed. Specific details of the annexes have yet to be made public.

The MILF article claimed that the government peace panel had changed its position on the annexes twice.

“The peace negotiation is an exercise in futility if there is no stop to this changing of positions by the government negotiating team,” the article quoted an unnamed MILF negotiator as saying.

The group said it has no plan to abandon the original document, saying backtracking could pose a serious drawback to the peace process.

The MILF claimed the government had its first change of position when the document on natural resources was being tackled last April. MILF negotiators “vehemently objected” to the changes.

“Except for those that are in harmony with the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro, we don’t accept the changes introduced by government on wealth-sharing,” said MILF peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal.

The government’s second backtracking was reportedly contained in “notes” recently sent to the MILF through the Malaysian facilitator.

The MILF declined to provide details but claimed that the notes “severely diluted” the old document.

“Two changes of positions in a row within the span of two months is alarming,” the unnamed peace negotiator said.