Lawmaker sees success of Bangsamoro framework

CAGAYAN de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez (2nd district) is optimistic that the recently signed Bangsamoro Framework will succeed as it gained support from various groups, including the religious sector and other countries.

Rodriguez said the successful implementation of the agreement would improve security, stability, and development for the people in Mindanao.

“The framework agreement is an important first step toward the realization of the final agreement concerning the peace process in Mindanao,” he said.

The lawmaker set aside some apprehensions as former governor of Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (Armm) Nur Misuari denounced the signing of the framework and even called it “a recipe for another big, big, war in Mindanao.”

“During his time as Armm governor, millions of funding was given to Misuari from the National Government pero walay nakita nga mga projects,” Rodriguez said.

For his part, Senator Francis Escudero urged Misuari to heed the call for peace and help make the freshly signed Framework agreement on Bangsamoro work.

Misuari, the founding chair of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), claimed that some 17,000 armed fighters bolted the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and joined the MNLF to protest the newly minted peace accord.

“I am appealing to the sense of collective peace of former Governor Misuari to cooperate in working for our common goal of a lasting peace in Mindanao,” Escudero said.

At the same time, the senator said the Government of the Philippine (GPH) peace panel should verify the report to avoid a repeat of what happened in 1996 when the Armm agreement was signed.

Earlier, Escudero congratulated the National Government and the MILF for the historic signing of the framework agreement, including the Malaysian government led by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

“The President couldn’t have said it better when he said that much work remains to be done in order to achieve genuine peace in Mindanao,” he said.

He added that the “real hard work begins now and a collective push from all stakeholders is very much needed.”