SULU (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 4, 2012) – Sulu province on Tuesday ended a two-day Mindanao Leaders’ Summit and passed a 15-point resolution supporting the Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The resolution elaborated various inputs from the summit attended by some 3,000 people in the town of Patikul. Mayors from Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Maguindanao were also in the summit. A small of group of American soldiers were also spotted in the summit and taking down notes and video of the event.
Among those contained in the resolution are proposals on how to effectively run the Bangsamoro region, which would replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan organized the summit which was attended by other ARMM governors – Sadikul Sahali, of Tawi-Tawi; Jum Akbar of Basilan; Esmael Mangudadatu, of Maguindanao and a representative of Mamintal Adiong, of Lanao del Sur.
Former Muslim rebel Nur Misuari, of the Moro National Liberation Front, and other government officials headed by Undersecretary Nabil Tan, of the Office of the Executive Secretary; and Edilwasif Baddiri, of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos and Jose Lorena, of the government peace panel negotiating with the MILF, also attended the summit.
The MILF also sent its representative Toks Ibrahim, and also the Catholic Church which was represented by Bishop Angelito Lampon, of the Vicariate of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi; and Sheik Abdulmuin Mujahid, of the Zamboanga-Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-Tawi Ulama.
The summit tackled the Mindanao peace process and the Framework Agreement signed in October. It paves the way for the creation of the Bangsamoro and that a referendum would also be held in other provinces where there are large Muslim communities to ask whether residents want to be part of the Bangsamoro region.
“Sinusuportahan natin ang peace process ng ating Pangulo kaya nga may summit tayo dito sa Sulu upang ipaalam sa publiko ang kahalagahan nitong peace talks at ng Framework Agreement. Sinusuportahan namin mga governors sa ARMM ang kapayapaan,” (We are supporting the peace process and that’s why we are holding this summit so our people will know more about the government peace talks with the MILF and the importance of the Framework Agreement.),” Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan told the Mindanao Examiner.
Dr Amildasa Annil, of the Movement for Sustainable Good Governance, said: “This summit is important to all of us and we want the people to understand the peace process and the Framework Agreement, and other issues pertaining to peace, our future and Mindanao in whole.”
Tan said a similar forum would also be held in Maguindanao by January, and probably in Basilan, Lanao del Sur and Tawi-Tawi provinces to gather inputs and submit them to the government which would then be discussed in the peace talks.
Manila and the MILF continue peace talks in Malaysia – which is brokering the negotiations – and are now centered on power and wealth sharing among other issues. (Mindanao Examiner)
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