By Edd K. Usman, Manila Bulletin

 

The good news is that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is still constant in its adherence to the peace process with the Government of the Philippines (GPH) despite the proposed Bangsamoro law continuing to hang in the balance.

 

A member of the MILF peace panel gave this assurance yesterday at a forum dubbed “Implications of Mamasapano on the Peace Process: Moving Forward” in Makati City.

 

But the bad news, perhaps, is that implementation of the historic 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) through the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), the CAB’s legal interpretation, is still overwhelmed by the fallout of the Mamasapano incident of Jan. 25.

 

The Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) organized the forum with support from the international community.

 

In an interview with Prof. Abhoud Syed Lingga, MILF peace panel member, he said the Moro revolutionary group is not about to abandon the 18-year-long negotiations to resolve the Bangsamoro’s struggle for self-determination and attain peace in Mindanao.

 

 

“We still believe in the peace process, we still believe that both parties have obligations in the implementation of the agreements (signed). We are still counting on that the government will fulfill its obligations in the agreements,” he said.

 

He suggested ways on how to move forward now that the passage of the BBL is stuck in congressional limbo.

 

One, Lingga said, separate the issues about Mamasapano from the BBL; two, continue legislative proceedings on the BBL, and discussion should be on a higher level.

 

At the same time, he said investigations on the incident should continue to answer some questions, such as “what were the accomplishments of the SAF (police Special Action Force), what went wrong that led to the death of 44 SAF members, 18 MILF forces, and several civilians.”

 

Lingga contended that the Mamasapano incident has “no substantial link with the BBL, only peripheral issues,” such as on coordination and ceasefire violation.

 

The MILF negotiator said “it is better for Congress to pass the BBL this year.”