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The long journey to Bangsamoro, a timeline

By BONG D. FABE

 ON March 27, 2014, the whole world joined the Philippines in rejoicing over the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), the final peace agreement entered into by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The signing of the CAB, witnessed by dignitaries from all over the world, paved the way for the drafting of the (now controversial) Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), a piece of legislation that will implement the CAB and the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) that was signed in October 2012.

What began in 1996 during the Ramos administration officially ended (at least on paper) on that historical day in March 2014. But in between those very long 16 years were various roadblocks, challenges and detours that threaten to cut the “peace journey” short. But thanks the GPH and the MILG, both their peace panels stayed the course of peace and labored to forge a peaceful political settlement to the decades-old “Mindanao problem.”Read More »The long journey to Bangsamoro, a timeline

Judging the prospects for peace talks with the NDFP in 2015

By Soliman M. Santos, Jr.
Naga City, 21 January 2015

The hugely successful visit of Pope Francis, which took the whole country by storm, still reverberates.  Will its surging waves of goodwill, as well as calls for prophetic action, carry with it a soon enough resumption of peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP)?   The best recent sign that something is brewing on the NDFP peace front was Inquirer’s banner headline last December 28 that “Joma looks forward to meet with P-Noy.” This right after Jose Maria Sison, Chief Political Consultant of the NDFP, and founding Chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) which leads the New People’s Army (NPA), had said both parties might resume talks probably soon enough after Pope Francis’ visit.

Given the past long track record of more-off-than-on and more-failed-than-successful peace talks, the questions that come to the mind boil down to three:  [1]  What really in terms of peace talks is afoot this remaining one-and-a-half years of the Aquino administration?  [2]  What are the prospects that something good enough – in terms of tangible gains and moving that process forward — will come out of any new talks?  [3]  What needs to be done to push these talks forward?Read More »Judging the prospects for peace talks with the NDFP in 2015

Bangsamoro Basic Law: Step Forward on a Longer Road to Peace

By Soliman M. Santos, Jr.

Naga City, 25 October 2014 (slightly revised 1 November 2014)

 Having followed as closely as possible, even from a distance, the Mindanao peace process for more than 20 years since 1993, mainly as a civil society peace advocate and occasionally as a peace researcher and consultant, one can perhaps be forgiven for giving occasional unsolicited analysis and advice.  There are certain conjunctures in that process that particularly call for this.  For me, the achievement of an “agreed version” between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and its submission to Congress as House Bill (HB) No. 4994 and Senate Bill (SB) No. 2408 is one such conjuncture.  The trajectory of this must ideally be not only understood but also influenced for the better of the whole process.  It is better to say one’s piece now seeking to make a modest contribution to that end, rather than later when it no longer matters because it has been overtaken by events.  But of course, one can only offer one’s thoughts in good faith and according to one’s best lights; their use or otherwise is mainly up to the direct and key actors in the peace process.Read More »Bangsamoro Basic Law: Step Forward on a Longer Road to Peace

The law on the use of landmines and the case of the NPA

By Soliman M. Santos, Jr.

Naga City, 10 June 2013

In the wake of the New People’s Army (NPA) use of a landmine in the ambush of police Special Action Force (SAF) elements, resulting in eight of them killed, last 27 May 2013 in Allacapan, Cagayan, presidential deputy spokesperson Atty. Abigail Valte was quoted at a Malacañang press briefing as saying “It’s very clear.  It was a violation or against the law on the use of landmines.”  It is therefore relevant and worthwhile to look into this law.  Yes, Virginia, there is a law on the use of landmines, even as it may seem ironic that law governs (or is supposed to govern) so savage an activity as warfare.

Indeed, it used to be the wisdom of the ages, articulated by Cicero, that Silent leges inter arma (“The laws are silent in the midst of arms”).  But war, as among the worst occasions of inhumanity, has also occasioned  Inter Arma Caritas (“In War, Charity”) and among the best that has been created by humanity in terms of law:  international humanitarian law (IHL), or the law of armed conflict, so as to protect its victims and to limit its methods and means (e.g. its weapons).  Because “Even war has its limits.”  If war cannot be avoided because of, say, the failure of a peace process, then the next best thing is to “humanize” it or mitigate its adverse effects on the civilian population.Read More »The law on the use of landmines and the case of the NPA

Terminated Peace Talks, Intensified Armed Conflict: What is to be done?

Terminated Peace Talks, Intensified Armed Conflict: What is to be done?[1]

By Soliman M. Santos, Jr.

Naga City, 27 May 2013

(On the 55th birth anniversary of the late Jesse M. Robredo)

For all intents and purposes, the peace negotiations between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), as we have known it over the years since 1992, have effectively come to an end, at least under the current Aquino administration which still has three years left in its term. Well, that is just as well. Late last year, I had already personally gone on record through a 10-page article saying that it was better to just drop the charade of peace talks that were going nowhere due to their extremely tactical dynamics.[2] In the ensuing blame game that is still part of those counter-productive dynamics, the GPH is being blamed by the NDFP for unceremoniously terminating the talks purportedly to seek a “new approach” thereto. But under the circumstances, the GPH can be given some credit for this bold, if belated, move of dropping the charade even at the propaganda/public image risk of being blamed as responsible for terminating the talks.

But really, this peace process should no longer, even if it still could, continue to be conducted “in the old way” (to use revolutionary situation phraseology) that has made it a process of “perpetual division between the Parties.” The test of the pudding is in the eating, and the taste of the pudding has for the most part been bitter, sour and stale. A break or real vacation from this status of belligerency (or strategic stalemate), as it were, in negotiations should prove salutary in the medium to long term, if it becomes an occasion for all concerned to take serious pause and rethink things.Read More »Terminated Peace Talks, Intensified Armed Conflict: What is to be done?