GPH, MILF peace panels
sign final Annex on FAB

The peace panels of the Philippine government (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed the last annex to the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement (FAB) as they concluded on Saturday, January 25, 2014, the talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

As of 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, who is in Kuala Lumpur with the government panel, made the announcement over his Twitter account Saturday afternoon.

Photo shows Philippine government peace panel chairman Miriam Coronel-Ferrer (left) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal (right) shakes hands as they exhanges the signed documents of the Annex on Normalization and the Addendum on Bangsamoro Waters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014. Witnessing the event are Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos Deles (2nd from left), Malaysian facilitator Abdul Ghafar Tengku Mohamed (center), and some members of the House of Representatives inclusing Basilan Lone District Congressman Jim Salliman-Hataman. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have an Agreement!" Lacierda said in his Twitter account.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos Deles also announced yesterday the joint signing of the Annex on normalization and addendum on Bangsamoro waters by the peace panels of the GPH and the MILF.

The signed last Annex will pave the way for the completion of the comprehensive peace agreement that both parties had agreed earlier to call the “Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro” (CAB).

In a statement, Deles said: "Today the GPH and the MILF jointly signed the Annex on Normalization, the last of the four Annexes to the GPH-MILF Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB), which was completed on 15 October 2012.

She reiterated: "This paves the way for the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). This is indeed a long-awaited moment that is a gift to our people at the start of a new year of renewed hope and commitment."

Admitting that it has been a very difficult road arriving at this major milestone of the peace process, Deles said  the crafting of each of the four Annexes, together with the additional Addendum on Bangsamoro Waters, underwent painstaking deliberation by the two parties, backed up by thorough discussion and internal consensus-building on each side of the negotiating table, and grounded on extensive consultations with concerned local government units, religious and civil society leaders, and communities especially in the conflict-affected areas.

"2013 saw very serious challenges to the peace process which both sides were able to overcome with deep faith that, indeed, peace is possible for those who persist and persevere," she said.

According to Deles, on the side of GPH, the work of their negotiating panel always included rigorous study and due diligence undertaken with concerned Cabinet members and agency heads who pushed and pulled to extend the limits of possibilities for good and democratic governance in the area of autonomy.

In crafting the annexes, Deles said the GPH panel sought at every point to abide by the President's instructions that all peace agreements to be signed must be consistent with the constitution, including its flexibilities; must reflect the hard lessons learned from our past peacemaking efforts; and must be in accordance with the capacity of the parties to deliver politically, economically, culturally and in all ways necessary.

"It has been a difficult road getting to here and we know that the path ahead will continue to be fraught with challenges. As we celebrate this moment, we also affirm our readiness to undertake the tasks that shall ensure the full and satisfactory implementation of this agreement, together with the MILF, other
partners and stakeholders.

In moving forward, our legislators will take on the crucial role of enacting the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which the Bangsamoro Transition Commission is now drafting.  There will be new arrangements and mechanisms set up for the GPH and the MILF, assisted by selected third-parties and independent bodies, to work together on the multiple tracks that will ensure the transformation of MILF forces and conflict-affected communities from the harsh ways of war to the nurturance of  partnership and cooperation - all these to unleash the unlimited potentials for the development of Mindanao, especially for the communities so long left behind," Deles continued.

She further said President Aquino's vision and compassion and his love and resolve for Mindanao has brought us to this new era of the Bangsamoro, where dreams of peace and prosperity may begin to overcome the nightmares of the past.

"We thank and commend the GPH and the MILF panels and all the members of their teams for their patience and creativity and for remaining steadfast in their roles as problem-solvers and peacemakers.  We thank MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad and the members of the MILF Central Committee for the trust and commitment to see the negotiations and the subsequent implementation of the FAB to completion.

Lastly, we acknowledge with deep gratitude our Malaysian facilitator, Tengku Dato Abdul Ghafar, together with his hard-working secretariat, and the government of Malaysia for their hospitality and fraternal guidance, as the third-party facilitator for the peace talks. To our fellow advocates and partners in the international community, especially the members of the International Contact Group: Thank-you for bearing with us in keeping the faith.

In a world looking for peaceful solutions to all troubles, we are grateful that we have found ours.  Let us all seal it - and nurture it.  The best is yet to come," Deles concluded.

GPH peace panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer and MILF peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal said in separate interviews by reporters covering the exploratory talks that they were just “wrapping up” the final text.

According to Iqbal, the text of the CAB is more than just an introduction or a cover page. He told reporters that there were some issues that they want clearly spelled out in the CAB.

He however declined to elaborate as their draft text of the CAB had yet to be handed over to the GPH panel.

Ferrer also told reporters they gave their draft CAB “several months ago.”

The MILF as of 1 p.m. Friday, had yet to hand over their draft CAB to the GPH, through the Malaysian facilitator.  Tengku said as of 1:30 p.m. that he had yet to receive the draft text.

Ferrer said they were “open to receive proposals from their end as to what else goes into the text (of the CAB). We’ve already indicated some of the elements in a previous text.”

Iqbal on Friday morning said that after the signing of the Annex on Normalization and Addendum,”  there may be another round to finish the text of the CAB.

Ferrer said they will “discuss the process for that” and added that since all the annexes shall have been signed by then, “it may not be in the same form or full panel.”

Signed on October 15, 2012, the FAB provides for four annexes that were supposed to have been completed by yearend 2012: the annexes on Revenue-Generation and Wealth-Sharing, Power-Sharing, Normalization, and Transitional Arrangements and Modalities.

The annex on Transitional Arrangements was signed in February; Wealth-sharing in July, Power-sharing in December.

ABS-CBN reported that the annex on normalization was agreed upon after an "accommodating atmosphere" in the 43rd formal exploratory talks held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The MILF peace negotiator said "both parties went through the toughest issues, including the annex on wealth and power sharing, that were signed last year." Hader Glang