Marcos urged to take 'decisive actions' on CAB implementation

An alliance of peace advocates on Friday warned the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) is at risk of “drift and deterioration,” urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to take decisive action to restore direction to its implementation more than a decade after it was signed.

The Advocates for Peace (AP), during the commemoration of the 12th anniversary of the CAB, said “leadership gaps, stalled programs, and weakening trust between parties” are threatening the gains of the landmark accord.

“The signs are clear. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has raised uncertainty on who it can engage as a credible government counterpart. The Government Implementing Panel (GIP) remains underpowered, and direction across agencies is unclear,” the AP said in a press statement. 

Signed in March 2014, the CAB formalized the peace agreement between the Government of the Philippines (GP) and the MILF.  A key component of the agreement is the normalization track, which includes the decommissioning of the MILF combatants. 

The AP, however, said the core commitments under the CAB are stalled such as the decommissioning and socio-economic packages to camp transformation as well as the long-promised security sector reforms including the disbandment of private armed groups (PAGs).

“Trust is eroding. Mixed signals, delays, and public silence are fueling uncertainty. Internal governance challenges within the Bangsamoro also require urgent attention, as cohesion, transparency, and accountability are essential to sustaining public confidence. All parties must uphold and defend the principles and commitments under the CAB,” the advocates said. 

The AP appealed to President to take decisive actions restoring the direction of the peace process including the reconstitution of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) and the issuance of a clear, time-bound plan to complete the normalization and move toward an exit agreement. 

They also called on the MILF to “continue exercising firm internal leadership including maintaining organizational integrity and discipline within its ranks, and strengthening inclusivity, transparency, and accountability in governance”.

GMA News Online reached out to Malacanang for comment. 

“We issue this statement not to undermine the peace process, but to prevent its erosion. Left unaddressed, this drift will deepen—undermining trust, delaying commitments, and putting at risk the gains of the Bangsamoro peace process,” the AP said. 

“The window to secure these gains within this administration is narrowing. We call on both the GP and the MILF to act now—decisively and responsibly—to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and deliver on long-standing commitments,” it said.

The AP added: “What is at stake is not only the success of an agreement, but the credibility of the Philippine state to deliver on peace.” 

CAB ‘on edge of full blown crisis’

Likewise, the Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) said the fate of the peace accord “seemed to be in limbo” as it appealed to Marcos and the MILF to “take decisive actions towards managing this crisis and provide direction to the peace process with a clear timeframe”. 

“Obviously now, these uncertainties can be resolved beyond surmounting the challenges to restore trust in leadership. The CAB is on the edge of a full blown crisis. And so is the envisioned future of peace and development in the Bangsamoro,” the IID said. 

“President Bongbong Marcos Jr., must deal with this mess with utmost urgency before it spirals out of control. Failure to immediately resolve what’s happening in the Bangsamoro could drag to despair not only the southern region but the entire nation,” it said. 

“Today may not be the fitting moment for us to celebrate the 12th anniversary of the CAB–but an opportunity to reflect on what we have done responding to the Bangsamoro question, and collectively identify what else can we do as a nation and reaffirm our commitments to the peace process we call ‘Our CAB’,” it added. 

OPAPRU

For its part, the OPAPRU said it will “continue to support all aspects of the Bangsamoro peace process, most especially in carrying out interventions that will transform the lives of former combatants and their families, and turn their areas into peaceful, progressive, and resilient communities”. 

“As the first parliamentary elections in the BARMM draw closer, let us remain steadfast in honoring the spirit of the CAB and in fulfilling the promise it represents — meaningful autonomy, genuine representation, and a regional government that champions the dreams and aspirations of the Bangsamoro people,” Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said. 

“Moving forward, let us persevere in building a future where peace is enduring, inclusive, and people-centered.  For peace, for unity, and for the Bangsamoro,” he added.

He further said amid the challenges in the implementation of landmark peace agreement, the anniversary is an opportunity to look back at the years of extensive negotiations and tough conversations that led both parties to sign the peace covenant.  —AOL, GMA Integrated News