GPH-MILF firearms deal: A happy ‘ending’ to the peace talks

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – The signing of the historic arms deal between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Saturday, January 25, marked a happy ending to one of the most sensitive and emotional issues of the peace talks – the decommissioning of rebel firearms. 

As the peace panels of both sides conducted a joint press conference at the Palace of the Golden Horses here, the mood was one of euphoria and celebration. 

Asked what the most difficult part of this round of talks was, MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said, eliciting laughter from the crowd:  “I think the most difficult part of the negotiations…is convincing our counterpart to agree with us.” 

To which, government peace panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer quickly replied, “Thankfully we agreed with each other.”

The signing of the annex on normalization is the last annex needed before the final peace pact can be signed. Earlier, both sides signed agreements on transitional mechanisms, wealth-sharing and power-sharing. 

When does the MILF want the comprehensive peace agreement to be signed? 

For Iqbal, he wants it to be “very soon, even tomorrow, if possible.” 

Both sides have yet to agree on the venue of the signing. 

‘Emotional, sensitive’

When the government team announced to the media that they were about to sign a firearms deal with the MILF, the panel members embraced each other, with some panel members, including Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Deles, teary-eyed. 

They had just come out of what Iqbal described as the most “sensitive” and “emotional” part of the peace talks, especially for the MILF. 

“All the agreements are all substantive and important and very, very hard but the issue of normalization is the most sensitive, emotional and as far as I know, it entails a lot of sacrifices on the part of the MILF because to build real peace in Mindanao, we have to decommission our forces,” Iqbal said. (Read the details of the annex here.)

Watch the press conference here:

The road to 2016

Under the normalization annex, the MILF will not surrender their arms but rather put them “beyond use.” 

The whole process will not happen in an instant, Ferrer said. As the MILF decommissions their arms and forces in specific phases, the government is also expected to fulfill its commitment to reduce armed forces and private armed groups in Mindanao. 

How the rebel firearms will be stored will be the subject of recommendations from the Independent Decommissioning Body, which will be convened soon. 

As the normalization process progresses, other steps toward the creation of the Bangsamoro political entity will also be undertaken. 

Once the peace pact is signed, the Transition Commission – also led by Iqbal – will go full force in crafting the Bangsamoro Basic Law. Iqbal said they hope to pass the bill to Congress by April. It will then be certified as urgent by the President. 

Iqbal said he’d rather call Congress the “next avenue” rather than the “next battleground.” Prior to the signing of the annex on normalization, MILF members met with lawmakers present at the talks, including senators TG Guingona and Koko Pimentel, as well as Representatives Lilia Nuño, Jesus Sacdalan, Pangalian Balindong, Zajid Mangudadatu, Teddy Baguilat Jr, and Jim Hataman-Saliman. 

When Congress passes the Basic Law, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will be deemed abolished, paving the way for the MILF-led Bangsamoro Transition Authority until the election of officers to the Bangsamoro government in 2016. 

Throughout all of these, the Third Party Monitoring Team (TPMT) will be overseeing the process. Only when the TPMT, the government, the MILF and the Malaysian Facilitator agree that all commitments have been fulfilled will an exit agreement be signed, formally terminating the peace process. 

For the people

When he returns to Camp Darapanan in Maguindanao after the signing, Iqbal said he will first report to the MILF central committee and afterwards, start explaining the contents of the normalization annex to all stakeholders in Mindanao. 

“I just happened to be the chair of the MILF peace panel. Everything is dedicated for my people,” Iqbal said. 

The government and the MILF, now partners in building peace, are confident that the next phase of the peace process will be successful. 

“From A to Z it has been full of challenges with the cooperation and the determination of all the countries, including the facilitator and other countries, I think no obstacle will stand in the way,” Iqbal said. 

To add, Ferrer quipped: “There’s no other letter to add after letter Z so I can only agree with what my counterpart has said.” – Rappler.com