MILF's plan to form political party gets more support

COTABATO City, Philippines - Local sectors see the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s (MILF) plan to engage in regional politics in 2016 as yet another bold step towards normalization in the troubled south.

The rebel group has proverbially been “living by the gun” since it was formed by the Egyptian-trained cleric Salamat Hashim in the early 1980s.

The MILF’s chieftain, Al-Haj Murad, announced after the May 13 elections that the group will start organizing its political wing within the year, in anticipation of the pioneering elections in the self-governing Bangsamoro entity, which the government intend to put up by 2015.

An expert on Mindanao autonomy, Oblate priest Eliseo Mercado, Jr. of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance, told reporters via Facebook that “political engagements” are safer and a better means of furthering efforts to address squarely the “Mindanao Bangsamoro issue.”

Mercado, who is involved in various peace-building activities assisted by the vaunted Konrad Adenauer Stiftung of Germany, said Thursday that the MILF’s plan is a “good development” but has to be pursued with caution.

“Party politics in the country is still a ‘desiderata.’ What we have now is `patronage politics’ and there might not be any improvement in the next three years. Even then, we are hoping that the MILF will help in the shaping up of real party politics in 2016,” Mercado said.

Murad said their plan to organize a political party is parallel with their effort to maintain the MILF’s Islamic character, but with a facet to actively engage in political processes.

The MILF’s chief negotiator, Muhaquer Iqbal, earlier told reporters that they were elated with the election of political leaders in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, mostly endorsed by President Benigno Aquino III.

Iqbal, who also chairs the Transition Commission tasked to oversee the setting up of the Bangsamoro entity to replace ARMM, said they are optimistic the elected Liberal Party (LP) members in the ARMM will keep their campaign promises to support the creation of the Bangsamoro region based on the Oct. 15, 2012 Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

Even clerics welcomed the MILF’s interest on engaging in politics to hasten the attainment of peace and development in the South.

Ustadz Esmael Ebrahim, a commissioner in the National Commission for Muslim Filipinos, said Islam encourages political engagements in addressing community issues and concerns.

“In politics there are peaceful dialogues, power-sharing, recognition of communities, regardless of tribal affiliations and religious identities. Community concerns are addressed more peacefully and sensibly in political arenas,” Ebrahim said.

The provincial chapter of the LP, chaired by re-elected Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu, assured to support the MILF’s envisioned activation of a political group that can engage in partisan activities while the group maintains its revolutionary stature with a religious character.

“Party members are bound to support the peace process of President Aquino, who is the Liberal Party’s paternal figurehead. We support the Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro and the plan of the MILF to engage in political activities apparently to accelerate the attainment of peace in the Bangsamoro homeland,” the statement of the LP’s chapter in Maguindanao stated.

Even Malacañang had expressed support to the MILF’s plan to set up its own political party in preparation for the 2016 elections.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte announced during a press briefing early this week that government welcomes the political plans of the MILF.