MANILA – Officials involved in peace negotiations were hopeful for the future of the new Bangsamoro region ahead of the ceremonial signing of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
President Rodrigo Duterte will lead Monday’s signing of the measure.
According to Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza, the ceremony is a “major milestone” in the Bangsamoro peace process between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
“True to his campaign promise, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has signed the Bangsamoro Organic Law, fulfilling his desire to bring peace in Mindanao,” Dureza said on Sunday.
An “extraordinary law” was how Dureza described the BOL.
“It is the product of years of peace negotiations with the Moro revolutionary groups and the stakeholders in Mindanao,” he said.
The law creates the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Now the challenge is to “work hard to achieve the Bangsamoro Organic Law’s vision to bring peace and development and rectify past injustices,” said Dureza.
The ceremony will be the “beginning of a better tomorrow” in Bangsamoro communities, said Bangsamoro Transition Commission chairman Ghazali Jaafar.
“The signing of the Bangsamoro Organic Law … paves the way for the coming and establishment of a just and dignified peace in the Moro land,” said Jaafar. “It is a dawn of hope for a better tomorrow.”
MILF peace implementing panel chairman Mohagher Iqbal said the BOL ceremonial signing is the “culmination” of the 17-year government-MILF peace negotiations.
“I consider it a great honor to witness this event – proof of all those years of hard work in name of just and lasting peace in the Bangsamoro and the rest of Mindanao,” said Iqbal, also a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission./PN
