Photo by Michael Camsa/BIO
COTABATO CITY—The significance of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), a peace accord in the region, was one of the most highlighted topics discussed in the peace forum held during the culmination of the Bangsamoro History Month on Friday, Mar 31, at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex (SKCC), Bangsamoro Government Center, in this city.
CAB is an accord between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Government of the Philippines (GPH) signed on March 27, 2014.
During the peace forum spearheaded by the Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS), Member of Parliament (MP) Marjanie Macasalong noted that the importance of the CAB, among others, is the inclusion of the previous agreements in it, such as the Tripoli and the Final Peace Agreement of 1996, which led to the creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
“Prior to the signing of Bangsamoro Organic Law, many local agreements signed between MILF-GPH, especially on security aspect were also included; hopefully, to pave the way to lasting peace in the Bangsamoro,” Macasalong said, who also chairs the Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC).
Meanwhile, MP Atty. Mary Ann Arnado said that during the CAB signing, many Indigenous Peoples such as Manobo, Teduray, and Talaandig were performing rituals while celebrating the victory of the peace process outside Malacanang Palace along with evacuees, women, and youth associations.
“We are very happy after 9 years; I think we have [really] moved very far from the peace agreement to the extended transition period. We are also very happy that more young peoples are very supportive and passionate about joining this peace process, which is right as it is for the young generation,” said Arnado.
“The CAB for me is our ticket to peace, it is not a simple compact. It’s a frame-up of our day-to-day lives. Can you imagine if we didn’t have a peace agreement, what could be our situation now? We have an accord, we should appreciate it,” she stressed.
Other BARMM officials who were also present at the forum were MPs Atty. Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba and Nurredha Misuari; MPOS Deputy Ministry Abdulkudos Balitoc; Peace Prog. Officer V Sittie Janine Gamao; and BCPCH CAO Aaron Jeff Usman. (Majid Nur/BIO)
