Trust still there, says government peace panel

By: Gil C. Cabacungan - 10 years ago

Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, head of the government peace panel. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines–The Aquino administration is forging ahead with its quest for peace in Mindanao even though Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chief Murad Ebrahim sounds less than optimistic about the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) after a bungled counterterrorism mission in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, on Jan. 25 backfired on the peace process.

“The fact that the ceasefire was immediately restored and we continue to work on the other confidence-building measures indicate that the trust between the parties and the hope are still there,” said government chief negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, who signed an agreement with the MILF for the decommissioning of the group’s armed force in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, just five days after the Mamasapano incident.

Coronel was reacting to a published report from Reuters in which Murad expressed pessimism over the fate of the BBL.

“Trust has been affected. We are studying to see if the approval of the police operation came from the highest level of government,” Murad said.

“Based on our findings, it was not a mistaken encounter. They attacked our community and our forces,” he said, referring to the results of the MILF investigation of the daylong clash between Special Action Force (SAF) commandos and Moro rebels in Mamasapano.

The SAF commandos sneaked into Mamasapano to capture terrorists Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” Basit Usman and Amin Baco.

The commandos killed Marwan during the operation, but Usman and Baco got away. As they withdrew from Mamasapano, the commandos were set upon by guerrillas from the MILF, its splinter group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and armed residents of the town.

Forty-four commandos, 17 MILF guerrillas and three civilians were killed in the gun battle that lasted 12 hours.

Murad conceded there was a possibility that the BBL would not be enacted on time with President Aquino’s dwindling political capital.

Senate President Franklin Drilon and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. have agreed to pass the BBL in June, before Congress adjourns.

No time to lose

“I hope legislators will see the wisdom in immediately resuming the deliberations on the draft BBL. We cannot lose time in helping Mindanao recover from the impact of decades of armed conflict. Peace is every one’s right,” Ferrer said in a text message on Sunday.

Communication Secretary Hermino Coloma Jr. declined to comment on Murad’s statements.

“What we know is that both sides continue to work for the best possible BBL that may be enacted by Congress within the time frame set by the leadership of both houses. [The] government remains firmly committed to establishing enduring peace,” Coloma said.

In the House of Representatives, Deputy Speaker Giorgidi Aggabao said Murad’s remarks “would chafe, especially at this time when the President is trying hard to rally support for the BBL.”

Aggabao said he remained optimistic that the BBL would be approved, but he added that the Mamasapano incident and Murad’s statement have pushed back the peace process.

“My sense is Congress would eventually pass the BBL if constant hand-wringing from the Palace is applied,” he said.

President Aquino’s former ally Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello said the MILF raised a valid point since the government launched the SAF mission inside MILF territory without going through the process for territorial access under the peace agreement.

“This was a massive violation of the ceasefire. Yes, there was overkill in the response of the Mamasapano Moro contingents and it should not be condoned, but it should be put in the larger picture of a massive surprise intrusion,” Bello said.