Peace Deal with MILF: A Done Deal?

The Bishops-Ulama Conference (BUC) is 18 years old this year (28 November 1996-28 Nov. 2014). The late Islamic Dr. Mahid M. Mutilan and I, as then CBCP chair of the Episcopal Commission on Inter-religious Dialogue, co-founded this association of 24 Catholic and 18 Protestant bishops and pastors together with 24 Muslim ulama at the request of then Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos.

According to the president he wanted this region-wide association of religious leaders whose constituencies are wide-spread in Mindanao to constitute a religious “plank” in the over-all social structure of peace-building that would help implement the Peace Agreement which his government was then preparing to sign with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) under Chairman Nur Misuari.

That was almost 18 years ago. And much water has gone under the bridge since then, so to say.
One Isssue and One Concern from the perspective of the Bishops-Ulama Conference is the Truth in their Joint Statement last 13 November 2013.

It has been extremely difficult to find the truth of the major events and incidents surrounding the processes of peace-building. Those who have, and are, seeking the truth are putting their reputation, if not their life, at risk or in danger.

So what is the truth about the ‘Peace Agreement’?

From us in the BUC, the following questions are being asked according to their order of importance and urgency:

1. Why is the recently signed peace agreement between the
Government and MILF being publicized by most people in media here and abroad as a done deal? Out of respect I would not call it a media hype. But this is what the skeptical social media is saying to which most people on the ground have no access. Are they absolutely sure that Congress, the Supreme Court, and the referendum areas would agree? Is hiding the truth, creating false hopes, and managing news reports morally acceptable to the Christian and Islamic Faiths?

2. Can we now say that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front represents the entire Muslim society in Mindanao? Can we say the same for this present Government and through its peace negotiators as representing also the Christians and Lumads in this region?

3. What about the MNLF,
the BIFF or the Bangsamoro  Freedom Fighters? Can the MILF unite them with help of the present Government? The Ulama in our group are asking these questions and have serious doubts.

4. Why is it that a new group of concerned Muslims has been recently formed? They are people from business , former MNLF and MILF officials, professionals and farmers from Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, Zamboanga, Jolo and Tawitawi. There is another group in Lanao del Sur and Marawi City. Why are these groups being formed? They claim to speak for the bigger segment of the Muslim society.

5. And what about the Sabah issue? This question comes from the Ulama who know much about the history of this sensitive issue between Malaysia and the Philippines.

Those who plan to write the true history of Mindanao should also consider the above questions seriously together with the issue of the Muslim sultanates. This desire to know the truth should weigh heavy on journalists and media reporters of conscience.