Gov’t, MNLF conclude peace process review  

The Philippine government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) have concluded the peace process review that has run for more than eight years, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) said Wednesday.

In a statement, OPAPP said the government, the MNLF, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) formally signed on Tuesday the Joint Communique that marks the conclusion of the Tripartite Review Process (TRP) of the implementation of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement.

The review process began in 2006, and ran for over eight years of the peace deal brokered by the OIC. It has resulted to several agreements, including the 42 consensus points that were integrated into the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

In the same statement, the OPAPP said "the peace process is now ready to move to the implementation of peace mechanisms."

“What this means is that we have finally finished the eight-year long review of the implementation of the FPA, and we can now move forward towards implementing the agreements reached this time under the TRP,” said OPAPP Undersecretary for Programs Yusuf Jose Lorena.

The parties agreed to implement four key areas:

• the establishment of the Bangsamoro Development Assistance Fund that will be used for for socio-economic development projects for MNLF communities;
• the agreement on the Co-Management of Strategic Minerals will be referred to the Oversight Committee created by RA 9054 for the continuation of its devolution process;
• the participation of the MNLF in the Bangsamoro Transition Commission of the envisioned Bangsamoro Parliament; and
• the creation of the Tripartite Implementation Monitoring Committee, a body that will oversee the implementation of all points of consensus arrived at by the TRP.

"This is an important milestone we have reached as it sets the convergence of the two Bangsamoro peace processes,” said Secretary Teresita Quintos Deles, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and head of the delegation of the Philippine Government during the two-day 5th Ministerial Level meeting of the TRP.

The communiqué was signed by Undersecretary Lorena, on behalf of the government. Atty. Randolph Parcasio and Muslimin Sema signed on behalf of the MNLF as principals, and Secretary General Iyad bin Amin Madani signed for the OIC. OPAPP Secretary Deles and Samsula Adju of the MNLF signed as witnesses.

In 2014, the OIC called for the linkage of the peace pacts of the MNLF and its breakaway group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which signed a peace peace pact with the government that year. — Jessica Bartolome/RSJ, GMA News