MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Jan. 30, 2014) – Filipino leader Benigno Aquino is focused on winning the peace in Mindanao by effecting the needed changes and one of them is the establishment of a new Bangsamoro political entity, a government spokesman said.
Sec. Herminio Coloma said the failure to establish the Bangsamoro political entity will not be an acceptable scenario for the government.
“Government efforts are focused on winning the peace in Mindanao. The alternative to change is the status quo and the status quo is not acceptable,” he said at a media briefing.
At the very least, he said the government will continue to perform its task of ensuring peace and stability and protecting the citizens.
Coloma also assured the public the government has enough forces to maintain peace and order in Mindanao from various armed groups. “It is still the primordial duty of the state to maintain law and order,” he said.
The government is hoping to bring much-needed peace to Mindanao with the signing of Annex on Normalization that would pave the way for a comprehensive peace agreement, he said.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda also said the annex manifests the unshakable commitment of the Aquino government to achieve a genuine and lasting peace in the southern region.
“This was the culmination of a process that Secretary Teresita Deles described as one characterized by painstaking deliberation and discussion and internal consensus-building. According to her, this process was grounded on extensive consultations with concerned local government units, religious and civil society leaders, and communities especially in the conflict-affected areas,” Lacierda said.
“The news was met with an outpouring of good wishes for the Philippines. Advocates of peace here at home and abroad greeted this news with optimism,” he added.
Lacierda said the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Switzerland, and international bodies such as the European Union and the United Nations, praised the Philippines for this achievement.
“This milestone gives the entire nation confidence that the next steps in the peace process are on track. The work does not end here. In particular, we look forward to the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. The Bangsamoro Transition Commission is also working on the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which our legislators will enact, moving forward,” he said.
The Framework on the Bangsamoro, signed on October 15, 2012, serves as a roadmap for the creation of a Bangsamoro entity that will replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and lays down the groundwork to achieve lasting and genuine peace in Mindanao.
“We believe that this achievement signals the unshakable commitment of the Philippines to all stakeholders in the country, as well as people of good will in the world that this process will come to fruition, and that lasting peace and development in Muslim Mindanao are at hand,” Lacierda said.
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