Control over police was last hurdle in Bangsamoro deal

The euphoria that enveloped Malacañang Monday as the MILF made peace with the government belied the tension that marked the last stage of negotiations. "We were about to give up if not for the perseverance of both parties and the creativity of the Malaysian facilitator,” MILF negotiator Mohaqher Iqbal said. Both sides cited control over the future territory's police forc as the main hurdle they had to overcome before reaching an agreement.   At a joint briefing in Malacañang after Monday’s historic signing of the agreement, government chief negotiator Marvic Leonen and his MILF counterpart Mohaqher Iqbal took turns narrating the events of October 6, citing control over the future territory's police force as the main issue they had to overcome before reaching an agreement.   “As the good chair (Iqbal) says every time, they are soft on people but very hard on issues,” Leonen said.   The final framework agreement includes provisions on the eventual establishment of a separate police force in the Bangsamoro region, which will be created to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).   Leonen, however, was quick to allay fears that a separate police force will create a security vacuum in the Bangsamoro region.   “I hope that there is no doubt, there is no security vacuum that is going to be left. That is not the intention of the GPH and I would like to believe that the MILF, too, does not intend that the agreement will cause any security vacuum in that particular area,” he said.   Iqbal admitted that the MILF’s reputation as separatist fighters made the issues of policing and disarmament difficult.   “Members of the MILF, they are used to fighting, they are not used to governance. So it would be very difficult for us. But with the help of friends [from] the peace process, and international community, we have to empower our people,” Iqbal said.   “That’s why we have created the Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute, the Bangsamoro Development Agency, because we know the limited capacity of our people. But with our determination, we will be able to overcome all these obstacles,” he added. Late-night phone calls   Leonen said on Oct. 6, both parties were on the phone with their respective leaders until late at night to thresh out this issue.   “We were both on the phone. I do not know who Chair Mohagher Iqbal was calling, but I was sure that I was calling our president,” Leonen said.   Leonen said that the last provisions of the agreement were proposed by President Benigno Aquino III himself.   “And at the last minute, I think, the words that we proposed to the chair of the MILF were words coming from the President. And the last exchange I think, we exchanged notes and Chair Iqbal said, ‘Ano kung ganito?’” he said.   Leonen said he then called up Aquino to relay the suggestion. “[I] said, ‘Sir, what about this?’ and the President said, ‘Mukhang OK na. I think that will be alright for now.’ And then I told the President over the phone, ‘Sir, I think we just completed the Framework Agreement.’”   “Sir, we have a deal,” Leonen eventually told Iqbal at around 10:40 in the evening. — KBK/HS, GMA News