FULL TEXT:  Speech of President Aquino at the decommissioning of MILF combatants

Let me begin by sharing a few things I have been reflecting on over the past few years.

 

Back when I was younger, when violence was beginning to spread throughout this region, could it not be said that conflict was caused by a few people, often Christians, who took advantage of our countrymen here in Mindanao? The opportunists saw that those tilling the land were uneducated, which allowed them to have the lands titled under their own names. This was what prompted our Moro brothers to fight for what was justly theirs. My question: If abuse of the law was the root of the problem, is it not appropriate that the solution be a law that recognizes the rights and the culture of our Muslim brothers and sisters? It would have been more appropriate if the government’s response to our countrymen’s plea back then had been something akin to the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act, which we now have.

 

We know that this is not what transpired. The government sent in units from the Philippine Constabulary. When the tensions rose and the situation could not be managed further, they sent the Armed Forces. The result: Instead of achieving peace, the situation became even more complicated.

 

In addition: If you had been in the position of those whose lands were stolen from them back then, wouldn’t you have been discouraged when, after seeking recourse with all authorities, you were told that “Nothing can be done?” Think about it: Because of the disagreements on agrarian issues, which led to injustice, they were forced to bring matters into their own hands, and private armed groups became a growing presence.

 

My question is: If you were oppressed so much that you decided to abandon, and even go against, the system—because you could no longer believe in it, and because the support of the State was inadequate—would you have responded any differently? After decades of armed conflict, no less than our Armed Forces has stated: The solution here in Muslim Mindanao will not come solely from the AFP; what we need is a whole-of-government approach. We need legitimate responses to legitimate grievances; we need to help our brothers and sisters in the margins to achieve true justice.

 

When this became clear to me, I moved on to a new question. If the wounds caused by firefights and by vengeance had grown too deep, how could we foster trust? With due respect to Undersecretary Manny Bautista, I will use his family as an example. His father, General Teodulfo Bautista, was invited to Sulu for a dialogue for peace. But those who had invited him did not want peace and instead sought conflict. These were the kinds of incidents that worsened the suffering brought about by war for many Filipinos, which is why one cannot simply hope that trust will simply grow between both sides.

 

In such a situation, how will we reach an agreement acceptable to all when the negotiators themselves do not trust each other? I was even of the notion that a true dialogue would only be possible after multiple generations. In fact, one of the proposals was to have an exchange of students. There would be students from Mindanao who will study in Luzon and Visayas; and there would be students from Luzon and Visayas who would study in Mindanao. In this manner, the new generation could establish stronger relations, and when they hold the reins of power, they can speak to each other as friends, and not as enemies with litanies of grievances against one another. This is a long process, and it is likely that the results will not be witnessed by people my age.

 

This is why today is truly historic. Years ago, an armed group that had long been fighting with government laying down its arms was a pipe dream. We are not speaking of just one, two, or a dozen weapons. These are some of the highest grade weapons; these are not outmoded units. They are modern firearms. These can cause—and have truly already caused—extreme suffering.

 

Boss, I must point out: Our Moro brothers and sisters made a commitment, and before us is the concrete proof of their sincerity. Our brothers are voluntarily laying down their arms. They are fully aware of the threats to their own safety brought about by private armed groups, but they are doing this nonetheless; they are telling us: “Brother, this weapon that I used to defend myself, I no longer need it. I wholeheartedly entrust my safety to you. Brother, I lay these weapons down today, because I believe that, like me, you are determined to transform our society and our very lives.” Our brothers and sisters are undertaking this important step, even if the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law remains uncertain, and the Bangsamoro Transition Authority is yet to be established.

 

This is why I cannot say that we are gambling our country’s fate by talking peace with the MILF. Gambling is a matter left to chance, where one has no proof about the certainty of his fortunes. What we are witnessing today, instead, is a solid testament to the unreserved and honest participation of the MILF in our peace talks, and of their preparedness to abandon the path of violence. They are extending their hand to us, inviting us to greater trust and cooperation. It is unfortunate, then, that some of our esteemed lawmakers respond to this invitation by advocating for a halt to the BBL. Instead of asking: “How can I improve the BBL so that it may effectively address the grievances of our countrymen,” it appears they ask, “How can I stop or block the passage of this bill?”

 

In these moments, I cannot help but think that we are approaching the moment of truth, like in a wedding, or nearing Heart Break Hill of the Boston Marathon. As in a wedding, one is already before the altar, and is with the person one will marry—but is suddenly taken by unfounded suspicion: Will my spouse squeeze the toothpaste tube at the end or in the middle? Will my spouse put down the cover of the toilet seat? What is clear: You truly love the person that you are about to marry, all these speculations are but minor considerations—and yet there are still second thoughts. Like the situation in Heart Break Hill, we are now approaching the fulfillment of our partnership for peace; I ask you: Will we allow ourselves to be preoccupied with thoughts of not completing the marathon? Will we suddenly lose faith, when the finish line is truly within sight?

 

This is the truth: our brothers and sisters in Bangsamoro are not asking for something unreasonable; what they want—a decent and peaceful life—is what every Filipino desires. We also need to admit that we have had our own shortcomings. It is not written in our religion or laws that we should perpetuate the ills of the past. Today, we are given a new opportunity to right the wrongs, and I ask: Will we walk away now?

 

What I, as President, can tell you is this: I am personally investing my time and effort for the BBL. I actually had one meeting with members of Congress where, because of our desire to have a true “meeting of the minds” and to resolve any concerns, it took us until the next morning to eventually finish reviewing and scrutinizing the draft BBL. What we want is to truly refine this law.

 

The example displayed by our brothers on this day has already been written into our history. The same will take place for the response of the vast majority of Filipinos to what they have done. Our only question: If there are ten steps between us, steps we must take to become closer to one another, and they have already taken nine and a half steps—would you still deprive them of that last half-step? If you look at yourself in a mirror, would your conscience not haunt you? If, in obstructing the best solution, you arrive at the point in which your family is affected, would you be able to face them and say, “Sorry, this happened because I kept us from realizing peace”?

 

To those crafting the law, and to those who will vote, when the time comes, in the plebiscite on the BBL: Remember this day. We who did not do our duty by them, we who put forth the wrong solutions, we who failed to do our utmost to protest and put a stop to the abuses committed against them—are we also going to seize from them the chance to live dignified and peaceful lives? Are we going to cling to baseless fears? Do we want to fall back on solutions that have already failed to rectify the problem, and which instead gave rise to more divisions and deepened the wounds caused by a lack of trust?

 

Here, I remember the words of the German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was executed by the Nazis: “First they came for the communists, but I was not a communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the socialists and the trade-unionists, but I was neither so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.” Indeed: When you allow the rights of others to be abused, is it not true that you agree to the perpetuation of this cycle, until the day comes when you yourself may become a victim of it?

 

My Bosses, let me emphasize: What we once imagined would never happen is already happening today. Our brothers in the MILF have already taken this immense step, and this makes us think: now that they have done this, will they still have difficulty with the remaining steps? I believe that the process will only become easier from this point. Thus, I call on everyone: let us repay the trust they have shown us. Let us strive to reach the point in which we can say: We truly gave them every opportunity to change their lives and to reach their dreams. But I must also say: If you are planning to make it difficult to pass the law, it is as if you have willfully deprived them of what should be theirs—ensuring that they have no opportunity to uplift themselves; guaranteeing that they will never lay down their arms and leave conflict and struggle behind. That is the equivalent of opposing the BBL.

 

You cannot say that you are for peace, even as you make the passage of the BBL difficult. It is as if you are still not content with making the law pass through the eyes of nine needles, that you will add a tenth and an eleventh; it is as if you have no other goal than to ensure that there is no space for peace. Perhaps I can ask for your help: What can I answer to those who ask me, “Where is the conscience of those who only seem to draw out the process for us to realize peace?”

 

Hundreds of thousands have been injured and have fallen; the number of those who have lost their homes and whose communities have been destroyed can no longer be counted, because of four decades of conflict. If you will not side with peace, how many more will lose their loved ones? How many more communities will find themselves trapped in the crossfire, lacking security? How many who are already suffering will suffer even more? How long before conflict knocks on your door, and involves even your family?

 

We cannot deny: We have a debt to our brothers and sisters in the Bangsamoro. Now, we have the chance to right the narrative of suffering together. This is our time. This is what our fallen countrymen fought for. Let us show those who sacrificed their lives, our countrymen, and the entire world: Though we may come from different contexts and hold different beliefs, because we have been brought together by trust and by care for one another, there is no challenge that we cannot surpass as one nation.

 

Thank you, and good day.  — Official Gazette of the Philippines