Trust Between PH Gov't, MILF Crumbling Amid Peace Process Setback

Peace Process Hangs in the Balance

Trust between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has reached a breaking point, threatening the Bangsamoro peace process. An exit agreement, which would mark the completion of the peace process, is now uncertain.

According to Teresita Quintos Deles, a former peace adviser, an exit agreement can be undertaken once the 'most important pillars' of the peace process are irreversible. 'It does not have to be all done,' Deles said during a recent forum. 'We can sign an exit agreement even if it is not yet all done, as long as it is all in place already.'

Deles pointed to several issues that have stalled the peace process and breached trust between the parties. These include suspended decommissioning, a headless government peace implementation panel, and unspent normalization and peace-building funds.

Peace negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer also underscored the need for trust between the parties, stating that there are no specific terms for the agreement and that it will be the product of dialogue. Ferrer oversaw the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) in 2014.

MILF's Role in the Peace Process Under Threat

Deles also highlighted the weakened role of the MILF in the peace process, citing their organizational breakup into two competing political parties. This has made the MILF's role in the post-electoral period even more tenuous.

The MILF's political party for the elections is the United Bangsamoro Justice Party, while Macacua is running independently and has been endorsed by a competing political party. Deles pointed out that while some may see the organizational breakup as an internal problem, it is perceived by the public as orchestrated by the national government.

Bangsamoro Peace Deal in Disarray

Deles described the implementation of the Bangsamoro peace deal as 'in fact in a state of disarray' after 12 years of implementation. The deal drew two tracks: the political, which established the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and the normalization track, which focuses on former combatants and conflict-ridden communities.

Malacañang peace adviser Mel Sarmiento believes that an exit agreement by 2028 is a challenge but remains a possibility.