Noy approves wealth sharing draft with MILF

MANILA, Philippines - The government peace panel has completed and is ready to defend the draft annex on wealth sharing in the framework agreement on the Bangsamoro, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles disclosed over the weekend.

Deles said the government would propose a new formulation on wealth sharing to the peace panel of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) while work continues on a separate annex on power sharing.

She said President Aquino has approved the draft annex on wealth sharing, which the peace panel would soon present to the MILF.

Deles earlier said that the framework agreement and all its annexes have been carefully drafted.

“I am confident that these will be able to pass the crucial tests of implementation,” Deles said.

Deles reiterated that the Aquino administration is working hard to achieve a “more doable and durable peace” in Mindanao by ensuring that it could deliver what it has committed.

“The President’s instruction has not waned: We will implement everything that we sign; government will deliver whatever we commit legally, politically and in all ways necessary. No false promises, no blind commitments, no agreement that will cause problems further down the road or bring harm to other areas of governance and reform which we will not be able to resolve and defend, especially when challenged before the court but in other arenas as well,” Deles said during the 27th Asia Pacific Roundtable organized by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Deles, along with Malaysian facilitator Tengku Datu Abdul Ghafar Tengku bin Mohamed and MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, was invited to discuss key steps needed to sustain peace in Mindanao in light of the agreement signed in October 2012.

The draft accord, together with the annexes on normalization, power sharing, wealth sharing, and transitional arrangements and modalities, would comprise the comprehensive agreement.

Deles also stressed that the entire government is one in ensuring “clarity in how some of the new fiscal and power-sharing arrangements will be implemented, especially those which will have to be enacted into law.”

She reiterated that the government remains “very positive” in the face of the delay over the annexes.

Deles pointed out the elements of the roadmap to peace have been put into place, such as the ceasefire that has been holding since 2012, the establishment of the Transition Commission that has been tasked to draft the Bangsamoro Basic Law, and the Sajahatra Bangsamoro program, a joint undertaking of the government and the MILF to uplift the health, economic and livelihood conditions of Bangsamoro communities.

She said there is also a need for continuous vigilance, political will and savvy in guarding the process of legislation of the Basic Law, which will be certified as urgent by the President, submitted to Congress for passage, and subjected to a plebiscite in the proposed core territory as stated in the framework agreement.

Once ratified, the Bangsamoro region will be established and the ARMM abolished.

AFP expects no violence

The military believes that the frustration of the MILF with the current status of the peace talks will not lead to violence.

Armed Forces public affairs chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said the concerns of the MILF could be addressed through peaceful negotiations.

“Their frustrations can be discussed during negotiations but their frustration does not equate to violence or offensive actions,” Zagala said in a press conference yesterday.

“The MILF and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are abiding with the peace process. We both support the peace process,” he added.

Zagala said they would continue to honor the ceasefire with the MILF. He said the situation on the ground remains “very peaceful” despite the issues confronting the negotiations.

Earlier, the MILF scored the government for allegedly diluting the annexes on wealth sharing initialed by representatives of the two panels last February.

The MILF opposes any changes to the annexes, saying the document already underwent discussions.

Vice chairman for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar said many MILF ground commanders are losing hope that the Bangsamoro issue would be addressed through negotiations.

Meanwhile, the government peace panel negotiating with the MILF is reviewing documents and the circumstances on the arrest of three alleged rebels in separate incidents in South Cotabato and Lanao del Norte.

The panel, headed by Miriam Ferrer, said that they have received a copy of the protest filed by the MILF pertaining to the arrest on May 31 of two alleged MILF members in Polomolok, South Cotabato and another one in Pantao Ragat, Lanao del Norte on June 8. 

The Philippine National Police (PNP) report showed that the arrest of the two rebels in Polomolok was covered by two separate search warrants against the suspects.

The search yielded several types of ammunition and a weapon, leading to the arrest of the suspects.

The PNP said that the arrest of the other suspect in Pantao Ragat was covered by a warrant of arrest issued on the charges of frustrated murder.

“We are still awaiting information on the fourth case of protested arrest in Sultan Kudarat that reportedly took place on May 28,” Ferrer said in a statement.

The panel pointed out that the ceasefire guidelines prohibit “unjustified arrests” and not legal arrests.

“In this regard, we are looking into the basis for the arrests, the procedures undertaken by the police in the conduct of these specific law enforcement operations, as well as the current situation of those who have been arrested,” the panel said in a statement.

Ferrer’s panel assured the families of those arrested that the government would observe due process and all the attendant rights of the detained.

She said the government panel’s committee on cessation of hostilities would be issuing a reply to its counterpart in the MILF as soon as the government completes its internal inquiry.

“As in other cases of alleged violations of the ceasefire committed by either side, the process set out in the Ceasefire Guidelines shall apply. We continue to appeal for prudence on one and all to ensure that no opportunity will be given to those who wish to undermine the process,” the panel said. – With Alexis Romero