MILF rebels to form political party for self-rule in Philippines’ Muslim south
Muslim MILF prepares to enter electoral arena under Basic Law for self-rule area in southern Philippines now sent to Congress for approval
The Philippines' biggest Muslim rebel group, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), is set to form a political party to run the planned Bangsamoro autonomous region, effectively ending decades of conflict in the south.
President Benigno Aquino finally submitted to Congress yesterday a 122-page draft Bangsamoro Basic Law - the result of four years of hard negotiations between the rebels and his administration. Aquino urged Congress to quickly pass the legislation.
The parliament would elect from its ranks a chief minister to run the region and a , or eminent leader, to perform ceremonial functions.
Chief government negotiator Miriam Ferrer said yesterday: "We welcome the ongoing efforts of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to form a political party that would serve as their vehicle for effective participation in electoral politics and consequently assist in their transformation from combatants to full-time civilian life as active Filipino citizens in the Bangsamoro."
The United Nations office in Manila gave its backing to the draft law, saying "we celebrate this remarkable achievement ... The United Nations System stands ready to support (it)."
The UN backing effectively sidelines a separate rebel group, the Moro National Liberation Front faction of Nur Misuari, who in 1996 signed a separate peace agreement with UN backing.
The draft law will dissolve the present Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao which the Misuari peace pact had put in place. But it gives the Muslim-dominated area fiscal autonomy and wider powers over natural resources.
The draft comes on the anniversary of the deadly siege of Zamboanga City which Misuari staged last year to protest at the MILF peace pact. Misuari remains at large and is wanted for sedition and rebellion.
Once the Bangsamoro Basic Law is passed, residents would have to endorse it in a plebiscite scheduled for next year.
The agreement separately calls on the 10,000-strong MILF to disarm under supervision by international monitors.
Both Philippine Senate President Franklin Drilon and opposition Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said the bill has broad support, though they warned there may not be enough time for it to pass this year.
"This is an opportunity for us to find true and lasting peace. Nobody that I know of would want to squander this opportunity," said Marcos.
The rebellion began more than 40 years ago when Marcos' late father, Ferdinand Marcos Snr, was president, and has since claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Aquino said the Bangsamoro Basic Law would improve the lives of millions of Filipino Muslims who are among the poorest inhabitants of the largely Catholic nation of 100 million people.
