Lawmakers laud signing of preliminary peace pact

Rep. Sema, Bai Sandra A. Representative Maguindanao and Cotabato City. https://www.congress.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers on Monday lauded the signing of preliminary peace pact between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), hopeful that decades of struggle within the Mindanao will soon come to an end.

Maguindanao and Cotabato City Representative Bai Sandra Sema said that she was hopeful that the agreement “would mark the start of the realization of the Bangsamoro people’s dreams and aspirations. That our Christian brothers and sisters see it in the same light makes it doubly significant.”

Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez echoed Sema’s comment, expecting the newly signed framework to be the nation’s key to finally achieving peace in Mindanao.

And although Deputy Speaker Lorenzo “Erin” Tanada III admitted that the process of extending peace to Mindanao might not be easy, he said that the signing of the framework was the first step.

“Discussions on the substantive portions of the framework are not going to be easy but we should not give up listening to each other to find a common ground and not a ground that divides us,” he said, urging fellow lawmakers to support the creation of the Bangsamoro political entity.

Tanada believes that the new Bangsamoro region can be achieved if both parties think long term in their discussions.