Launching of the Journey to the Bangsamoro

Three-Volume Collection of Signed Agreements

Speech of Prof. Miriam Coronel Ferrer, Government Peace Panel Chair
25 January 2015, Makati Shangrila Hotel

Your Excellencies, Ambassador Franz Jessen of the European Union (EU), and the
ambassadors of Italy, Germany, Zech Republic, Norway, Sri Lanka, Singapore,
South Africa, and Turkey;

The other members of the diplomatic community from Spain, Greece, Argentina,
Pakistan, Netherlands, UAE, France, Canada, South Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia,
Australia, Angola, Singapore, Russia, Switzerland, USA, and the UN;

Mr Mohager Iqbal, and the rest of the MILF and Government Panels and our
respective teams, and the Bangsamoro Development Agency. Mr Iqbal: ever the
poker-faced negotiator, the one to hardest to read, the steadfast leader who carried
his team through all the joys and travails of the journey to the Bangsamoro.

Mr Camilo Montes, of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (CHD), which seats in
the International Contact Group, together with three other international NGOs
the Conciliation Resources, Muhammadiyah, the Community di SantEgidio; and
four states UK, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

Today, as I speak, family representatives of 13 SAF commandos from the

Cordillera have just left Tukanalipao in Mamasapano where they gathered to
summon back the spirits of their kin and bring peace and closure to both the
dead and the living in their respective hometowns. Local community members
who lost their loved ones on the same day last year will also be holding their own
rituals to remember their own dead and enable them to grapple better with both

the heartaches and blessings of earthly existence. To all of them we give our
thoughts and prayers for safety and wellbeing on this day and in the years to
come.

That the EU and the MILF and the CHD chose to launch their book today on the
first anniversary may be frowned upon by the critics of the peace process on the
Bangsamoro. But to all those who have been part of this journey, today is the
best day to reaffirm the commitment of both parties to end the conflict and
achieve the needed social, economic and political reform that would sustain the
peace and bring about happier beginnings and endings in the lives of the people.
After all, wasn't it on also on January 25, 2014 two years ago -- that we signed
the last Annex that completed the Comprehensive Agreement on the
Bangsamoro?

I believe our full house today speaks of that solidarity that everyone feels for the
aspirations that we wish to flourish precisely because of the many significance of
this day in relation to the peace process.

For the GPH, the challenge has always been to find an inclusive and pragmatic
solution that addresses the core concerns of the Bangsamoro proponents but
also takes into account the diverse interests and needs of the affected population.
This was not easy, and the talks were characterized by hard bargaining. The
process leading up to the 2014 signing of the CAB was also complicated by
disruptive events. Most notable were (a) the 2011 rise of a breakaway group
from the MILF known as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, which
sporadically engaged government troops in hostile acts and demands a separate
Islamic state, (b) the FebruaryMarch 2013 standoff in Lahad Datu, Sabah,
staged by armed followers of the late Sultan of Sulu, and (c) the attack on
Zamboanga City by forces loyal to Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)
founding chair, Nur Misuari, in September 2013.

Mamasapano belongs to this string of events, each with their own dynamics. It
happened in the implementation stage, indicating that if negotiations are difficult,
more so the implementation, but also manifesting that difficulties are not
insurmountable with determination and support from many sectors. They may
cause setbacks, yes, but not the collapse of a generally healthy process.

As we all know, the congressional hearings on the BBL had to give way to
hearings on the Mamasapano tragedy in both chambers. This resulted in threemonths delay in the legislative process on the bill. Also, the involvement of MILF
forces in the unwanted firefight with SAF troops affected public perception on
the peace process, leading to the publics negativity. The wider perspective of
addressing the bigger problem of ending the armed conflict with the MILF,
enabling them to join the mainstream, and instituting social and political reform
was lost.

Both the HoR and the Senate have already conducted a total of 45 public
hearings at the committee level (40 in the House/15 in the Senate), and
legislators interpellated separately in both chambers in a total of 33 session days
(19 in the House/14 in the Senate) up to December 2015. They have already
spent millions of taxpayers money and scores of session days at committee and
plenary levels.

Legislators who say the bill is being rushed have all the opportunity to correct
whatever perceived flaws they have on the draft BBL since these are all within
their powers. But they cannot accomplish the task if they are not inside the
session hall during deliberation.

There is still a slim chance that the BBL will pass this Congress. But if it doesn't, it
is up to the next administration and the MILF how they will deal with the matter.
But of course, we very much prefer to pass on a solution rather than a problem
to the next President so we are still trying very hard to get our legislators on

board.

There have been very good progress in converging the MNLF and MILF tracks
under the rubric of the proposed BBL where the remaining issues of the MNLF
are being addressed. The Tripartite Review Conference is taking place in Jeddah
today. Secretary Teresita Quintos Deles heads the Philippine delegation, and the
different factions of the MNLF are in attendance. The Organization of Islamic
Cooperation has likewise issued its call for the passage of the draft law as a
means to carry through the convergence of the MILF and MNLF tracks. So, no
BBL means scuttling this initiative that would have seen most of the MNLF
leaders and the MILF working together for peaceful transformation of the region.

Settling the conflict with the MILF and also the MNLF would have allowed the
government forces to deal more effectively with other threat groups in the
region, not to mention our security concerns regarding the West Philippine Sea.

If we lose another year or even more in bringing about the turnaround in Muslim
Mindanao, we setback the socio-economic programs, the reconciliation measures,
and the decommissioning of weapons and combatants of the MILF and other
armed groups. We might lose the hearts and minds of many of the people there,
especially the youth, and increase the risk of radicalization.

But let me go back to the book we are launching today. The documents collected
in the three volumes serve as the landmarks that those brave hearts who were
and have been directly involved in the peace negotiations are leaving behind to
those who want to trace the paths taken and accompany the stakeholders in
their forward march to meaningful autonomy, institutional reforms, peace and
development in the Bangsamoro.

An approach that proved constructive throughout the negotiation was the

identification of common points on which to build a shared text or mutually
acceptable language, while reserving the most contentious issues for later
decision. That meant moving back and forth across the different agenda items.
For each of the four annexes, the two parties created their respective technical
working groups. The groups output, which color-coded unresolved points and
juxtaposed the proposed texts of each side, were then elevated to the panels.
This process went on until all colored texts were cleared and everything was in
boldface.

It will be recalled that, on the 15th month of the PNoy admin, in October 2012,
that the heaven-and-earth gap between the MILFs 40-page Comprehensive
Compact and the GPH Panels slimmer 3-for-1 proposal was bridged with the
signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro. All the angels in the
details were put in place by 3.5th year of this presidents six-year term, exactly
two years ago, with the singing of the last Annex, with just the introductory text
to the CAB left to be finalized for the signing that took place on March 27, 2014.

The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro remains a signed document

and our peace infrastructure ceasefire and normalization bodies are in place.
With or without the BBL, these mechanisms will have a role to play in keeping
the peace on the ground, delivering what peace dividends can be delivered, and
working for all around reconciliation. We are making sure that we will turn over
healthy and functional mechanisms to the next administration, and we pray that
they will carry the process forward.

We know that the international community will continue to support this process,
come hell or high water, in the belief that there is no other better way to end
conflicts here and elsewhere, but through dialogue, in order to bring about
sustainable peace in this part of the world.

Maraming salamat po.