Miriam Coronel-Ferrer. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines—Amid the uncertainty driven by recent events, the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will mark on Friday (today) the first anniversary of the signing of their historic peace agreement with the launch of three publications in Intramuros, Manila.
“The launch of the publications comes with a renewed sense of commitment to ensure the passage of the BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law) to cap the years of negotiations for a just and lasting peace in Mindanao,” chief government negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said in a statement released by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (Opapp).
The publications are “Getting to Peace: Opening Statements from the GPH-MILF Peace Talks (2011-2014),” “In Defense of the Bangsamoro Basic Law: Selected Essays” and “Kababaihan at Kapayapaan Magazine (Issue No. 3).”
The BBL appears headed for severe scrutiny and reevaluation in Congress following the bloody misencounter in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, on Jan. 25 that left 44 Special Action Force commandos, 17 MILF guerrillas and three civilians dead.
“Getting to Peace…” is a compilation of statements delivered by chief negotiator Ferrer, Supreme Court Justice Marvic Leonen, Ferrer’s predecessor, and MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal.
The book “In Defense of the Bangsamoro Basic Law: Selected Essays” is mainly speeches and essays articulated in several peace forums and discussions on the southern Philippines peace process.
The book’s authors are Ferrer, government peace panel member Senen Bacani, Technical Working Group head Jose Luis Martin Gascon, head of the peace panel legal team Anna Tarhata Basman, UP College of Muslim Affairs Dean Julkipli Wadi, retired Justice Adolf Azcuna and surviving framers of the 1987 Constitution.
Aside from Ferrer, the book launch will be attended by Iqbal and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles.
Also invited is Leonen who during his term steered the talks to arrive at a framework for the peace agreement that ultimately led to the signing of the pact after 17 years of hard negotiations.
Ferrer said in the statement that “proponents of the peace agreement between the Philippine government and the MILF want to reaffirm their commitment to President Benigno S. Aquino III’s declaration at the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro a year ago to not let the peace that we have all worked for be snatched from our people again.”