Hoping for peace, Duterte leads ceremonial signing of BOL
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte expressed his hopes that the implementation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) would put an end to the conflict in Mindanao.
The president led the ceremonial signing of the BOL in Malacañan about two weeks after its signing was delayed due to the abrupt change of leadership at the House of Representatives.
"Ten days ago, I signed into law the Organic Law for Bangsamoro Region for Muslim Mindanao which I hope will finally end the decades of conflict that is rooted in the Bangsamoro's pride for self-determination and recognition of their unique identity," Duterte said in his speech.
Duterte also expressed gratitude to the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front for their cooperation in pursuing the passage of the BOL.
LOOK: Pres. Duterte presents the BOL to MILF Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim here in Malacañang @PhilippineStar @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/YIlOd5X2Hy
— Alexis B. Romero (@alexisbromero) August 6, 2018
LOOK: Scenes during the presentation of the BOL to the MILF here in Malacañang @PhilippineStar @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/wE7urPrPJV
— Alexis B. Romero (@alexisbromero) August 6, 2018
The president urged the Bangsamoro community, as well as indigenous communities and Christian residents in Bangsamoro areas, to participate in the upcoming plebiscite in the region.
"Let us give this law a chance to address the Bangsamoro people's aspiration for genuine autonomy while preserving our bond as a single nation and affirming the sovereignty of the indivisible Republic of the Philippines," Duterte said. — Patricia Lourdes Viray with reports from Alexis Romero
Mujiv Hataman, regional governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said he is confident there will be no interruption of reforms and government services during a transition to a proposed Bangsamoro region that will replace the ARMM.
He added regional officials will meet on a potential transition that will happen if the Bangsamoro Basic Law is passed.
"I want them to know that I started from a problematic regional government. Ayaw ko maranasan nila (Bangsamoro Transition Authority) ) ang naranasan ko noong nag-transition ako," Hataman, who was caretaker governor from 2011 to 2013, said. He was elected regional governor in 2013 and again in 2016.
The military’s Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) commended and honored with medals the Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team -16 (IMT) for ensuring compliance with the peace accord forged between the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Lt. Gen. Alfredo Rosario Jr., Westmincom chief, and his command staff gave the honor Tuesday as the IMT-16 led by Maj. Gen. Datuk Hamdan Bin Hj Ismail made their exit call at Westmincom headquarters after completing their tour of mission as peace observers in Central and parts of Western Mindanao areas.
Rosario handed over the plaque of recognition to the IMT-16 for its successful mission at ensuring the accord, especially the cessation of hostility that has followed since the formal signing of the agreement in 2014.
Rosario said since the deployment of IMT-6 covering the pandemic period of April 2020 to April 2021, no violation of the ceasefire accord was recorded on the ground. —The STAR/Roel Pareño
The first of 11 planned Joint Peace and Security Team barracks has been turned over to the Joint Peace and Security Committee, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process says.
The JPST will be tasked with safeguarding decommissioned weapones from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, OPAPP says.
The barracks will be put up in seven provinces in Mindanao and are being builty through the OPAPP, with funding support by the UN Development Programme.
Decommissioning of MILF weapons and combatants is part of the normalization tracks of the peace agreement with the former rebel group.
A contingent of police and military personnel are in Parang, Maguindanao for deployment with Joint Peace and Security Teams that will be jointly staffed with members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process says.
It says 77 members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and 96 from the Philippine National Police will be joined by 152 from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front - Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces for training with the JPSTs.
"The JPST training is a unique community policing training where contingents from the AFP, PNP and MILF-BIAF shall undergo a one-month training program to enable them to acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes to make them a capable and dependable force to protect the gains of the peace process," Police Lt.Col. Arnold Razote, training director, says in the OPAPP release.
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