Asian pols laud Bangsamoro pact

MANILA, Philippines—An international group has welcomed the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro (CAB), saying it should lead to “peace and reconciliation in the long-troubled southern island of Muslim Mindanao.”

The International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), composed of representatives from 22 countries, said in a statement it issued on Friday it hoped the agreement would result in the demobilization and surrender of firearms by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

“We in ICAPP note with much positive interest the plan of the MILF, which has fought the central government for many decades, to establish a political party, which we hope would usher in demobilization, the surrender of firearms to a designated neutral entity, and the eventual integration of MILF insurgents into the Philippine armed forces,” ICAPP said.

ICAPP also recognized the developments in the drafting of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law that will create the so-called Bangsamoro autonomous region.

“We would be happy to invite the new MILF party into the ranks of ICAPP once it is formed,” the group said.

The CAB was signed by peace panel chairs Miriam Coronel-Ferrer of the Philippine government and Mohagher Iqbal of the MILF on March 27 in Malacañang, after 17 years of negotiation. The signing was witnessed by President Aquino and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Iqbal, chair of the 15-man Bangsamoro Transition Commission tasked with drawing up the Bangsamoro Basic Law, is set to submit the draft of the document to President Aquino Monday.—Gervie Kay S. Estella