MANILA, Philippines – As far as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is concerned, the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law and the conclusion of their peace pact with the government will ensure that Islamic fundamentalists will not succeed in Mindanao.
“(There’s the) finalization of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL)…I think this is the main antidote to whatever radicalization in Mindanao,” MILF chief negotiator and Bangsamoro Transition Commission chairman Mohagher Iqbal told reporters on Wednesday after President Benigno Aquino III turned over the draft BBL to Congress.
His statement came amid reports that Filipinos in Mindanao are being recruited by the infamous Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The ISIS made headlines recently for beheading its prisoners, including two American journalists.
Bangsamoro Transition Commission chairman Mohagher Iqbal. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Iqbal also dismissed insinuations that MILF fighters are growing restless over the slow pace of the peace process.
“I am not worried at all,” he said. “I don’t believe that there is a growing radicalization.”
“Of course, people can also imagine the situation and sometimes individually they will be frustrated to a certain extent but not to the extent that they will create a problem,” Iqbal added.
He said that although there were delays in the submission of the draft to Congress, they trust the leaders of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
“And it is my firm belief that the wisdom of the leadership of the House and the Senate headed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House would come up with a good legislation to form the Bangsamoro Basic Law,” he said.
Asked about which issues were most difficult to address during the negotiations, he recalled saying earlier: “Everything was difficult.”
In addition to being questioned for its constitutionality, the BBL also faces other hurdles, including a tight deadline to give ample time for a plebiscite.
Iqbal said he did not want to comment on the fact that Congress could not promise that it would be passed within the year as requested by Aquino.
Instead, he said, “Practically, I spent my whole life in the negotiation, 17 years…I am happy about the result because we have done everything and this is the only thing that we can get.”
Iqbal admitted that they were not able to get everything they wanted during the negotiations because of the need to compromise.
“Of course, in all negotiation you cannot get all what you want. Neither the other side can get what it wants. It is a compromise. The fact that we have the Bangsamoro Basic Law, personally and politically, as far as the MILF is concerned, we are happy,” he said.
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