Marcos: Restart peace process

PAGADIAN CITY -- Senatorial bet Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. batted for a restart of the Mindanao peace process based on the Tripoli Agreement of 1976 inked between the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the administration of his father.

Marcos, who is on his Mindanao campaign sortie since Wednesday, said the pact is “the only real lasting solution” to the Moro problem so far formulated and agreed upon with the rebels.

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The agreement was negotiated between government and the MNLF under the auspices of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

The negotiations came on the heels of a revolt launched by the rebel group in various areas which endangered government’s military control over Mindanao. But the negotiation also showed how the MNLF bowed to pressure from Muslim countries to forego its demand for independence for political autonomy.

But since its signing, the peace process was continually set back by differences with government on how to set the agreement in motion.

Marcos said the agreement’s provisions can be revised to suit current realities.

“There can be provisions that will be removed, new ones added, and existing ones modified. At least it must be the starting point in formulating a comprehensive formula for peace in Mindanao,” Marcos said.

The 1976 Tripoli pact outlined a Moro autonomous region covering the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-tawi, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, North Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Davao del Sur, South Cotabato and Palawan, and the cities of Iligan, Marawi, Cotabato, Dipolog, Dapitan, Zamboanga, Pagadian, General Santos, and Puerto Princesa.

Today, these have expanded into two more provinces – Sarangani which was carved from South Cotabato, and Zamboanga Sibugay from Zamboanga del Sur.

There are also five more cities – Isabela and Lamitan in Basilan; Kidapawan in North Cotabato; Tacurong in Sultan Kudarat; and Koronadal in South Cotabato.

The pact was finally made operational with the 1996 Final Peace Agreement with the MNLF, some 20 years after it was crafted. By then, its crack group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), has become a dominant Moro revolutionary group.

The territorial expanse of the current Muslim autonomy only covers five provinces.

“I believe it is not beyond our capability to forge in our time a truly workable peace in Mindanao; one that will gather Christians and Muslims and all the cultural communities under a common agenda of producing and sharing with one another,” Marcos said in a commencement address to graduates of the Josefina H. Cerilles Memorial College Thursday.

At present, peace negotiations between government and the MILF is deadlocked on the issue of politico-administrative setup; the former offering enhanced autonomy while the latter demanding the establishment of a Moro sub-state just like Sarawak.

Apart from earnestly pursing peace with rebels, Marcos pointed the need to take care of the massive infrastructure requirements of Mindanao in order to underline sustained economic progress.

“Sustainable economic development will ensure durable peace. Mindanao should (also) have a stronger voice in the halls of (National Government) power,” Marcos said.