LANAO PEACE PARTNERSHIP'S LETTER TO THE HOUSE OF SENATE ON BANGSAMORO BASIC BILL LEGISLATION

November 16, 2015

Sen. Franklin Drilon

Sen. Teofisto Guingona III

Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV

Sen. Edgardo M. Angara

Sen. Ralph G. Recto

Sen. Loren Legarda

Sen. Alan Peter S. Cayetano

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile

Sen. Maria Lourdes Nancy Binay

Sen. Pia Cayetano

Sen. Miriam Santiago

Sen. Joseph Ejercito

Sen. Francis Joseph Escudero

Sen. Gregorio Honasan

Sen. Manuel Lapid

Sen. Ferdinand R. Marcos

Sen. Sergio R. Osmena III

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III

Sen. Grace Poe

Sen. Vicente C. Sotto III

Sen. Antonio F. Trillanes

Sen. Cynthia A. Villar

The House of Senate

Republic of the Philippines

Dear Senators,

We are peacebuilders in Iligan and Lanao region working with multistakeholders in conflict-affected communities.

We believe that the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro

signed by the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is a result of 17 years of political negotiations that contribute to resolve historical injustices in Mindanao and it upholds social justice.

We adhere to a political culture, such as trust and confidence to the government and the peaceful negotiation of social discord, to put an end to the cycle of violence and perpetual displacement of peoples in Mindanao. On the basis of this trust, we appeal for the expedient and principled legislative action to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law that is consistent to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

We are cognizant that the value of government peace policy, programs, proposed alternatives and social legislation like the Bangsamoro Basic Law are standardly measured by its effectiveness, efficiency, equity and political feasibility among other multiple criteria. As such the bill should not be sacrificed to unpeaceful political caprices to legitimize other concerns not helpful in the realization of national peace agenda.

We are grateful that in the initial legislative process, there is substantial retention of major provisions in the BBL relating to identity, territory, ministerial government, finances and grants for its operationalization, women rights, indigenous peoples’ rights, and devolution of constitutional bodies in the 

proposed Bangsamoro territory. However, we needed more to truly build genuine autonomy.

We believe that the marginalization of poorest towns situated within the Bangsamoro areas can only be effectively transformed if they are accorded with adequate rights and freedom to decide on the utilization, maximization, and protection of its natural resources. Political economy in this post-modern era demands the need to strike a balance between government regulation and economic freedom to de-monopolize, share and devolve economic authority of the national government for community-based empowerment. Thus, we appeal that what appeared in HB 5811 as a reserve power of the government on “strategic minerals” within the Bangsamoro areas should be reverted as a concurrent power between the national Government and the Bangsamoro people to uphold equitable power in decision-making on resource development and to advocate shared accountability in the enjoyment of benefits and in the enforcement of environmental protection. The exception clause in the provision on natural resource undermines the right of the Bangsamoro to have meaningful authority over its natural resources including those that are potential sources of revenues.

We appeal further that if minerals for exploration and extraction are found within the ancestral domain of the indigenous peoples within Bangsamoro territory, its shall be subject to the normative process of free and prior consent as enshrined under the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (RA 8371).

As such, we specifically and humbly propose this provision:

On Natural Resources, Nature Reserves and Protected Areas. -  The Bangsamoro Government and the Central Government 

shall jointly exercise the power, and right to explore, develop and utilize the natural resources, including surface and sub-surface rights, inland waters, coastal waters, and renewable and non-renewable resources in the Bangsamoro.

It shall also jointly exercise the power to grant rights, privileges and concessions over the exploration, development and utilization of fossil fuels (petroleum, natural gas, and coal) and uranium in the Bangsamoro. 

The Central Government, through the Department of Energy (DOE), and the Bangsamoro Government shall adopt a competitive and transparent process for the grant of rights, privileges and concessions in the exploration, development and utilization of fossil fuels and uranium.

We ardently request for your kind-consideration to make the Bangsamoro region genuinely autonomous for its people to truly enjoy the right to self-determination.

Sincerely,

Lanao Peace Partnership

Phone: (063)-223-8841

Mobile: 0906-878-3090

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Lanao Peace Partnershio (LPP) is composed of three CSOs and an academic institution. These are Pailig Development Foundation Inc., Kapamagogopa Inc., 

Civil Society Organization Forum for Peace Inc., and MSU-IIT Institute for Peace and Development (IPDM). The partnership commits to effectively contribute in increasing multistakeholders‘ knowledge and in democratizing the peace process to improve social cohesion and empower people in transforming social conflict. Since 2010 to 2015, LPP has been pro-actively involved in 127 peace-related community-based dialogues or consultations and is engaging varied networks of civil society in the country involved in addressing controversial issues arising from the peace process and from the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro (CAB).

LANAO CIVIL SOCIETY CALLS FOR SOBRIETY AND STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT FOR PEACE IN MINDANAO

 Done at Iligan city on January 27, 2014.

We, the civil society of Lanao, who have committed our passion for peace and development, commiserate with families of the elite police forces who unfortunately died at Mamasapano, Maguindanao during the course of serving a warrant of arrest to two alleged suspected terror group members;

We likewise empathize with the families of the members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who died during the encounter at the same zone;

We express our grief and sympathy for the survivors of this tragedy which could have been avoided if only appropriate coordination and communication were channeled within the joint security mechanism as stated within the GPH and MILF’s Peace Agreement;

We are saddened on the entailing effects of this violence to civilian communities who have long suffered the cycle of dehumanizing effects of perpetual displacement and insecurity -- specially the aged, children and women in marginalized circumstance;

We note that this tragedy happened too at a political climate when anti-corruption investigation at the legislative body heightened thus, causing turmoil amongst legislators who earlier professed commitment for national peace and for the eradication of this culture of corruption. We are sad when some changed hearts after seeing this heartbreaking violence;

We call for an impartial, collaborative, cooperative and inclusive investigation of the incident by the International Monitoring Team (IMT), the Coordinating Committee  on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) of both panels, the Adhoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG), human rights groups, and community traditional leaders to prevent the escalation of conflict and to provide policy recommendations that will improve the coordination mechanism, especially when serving warrant of arrest to suspected member of alleged terror group within the vicinity where there are presence of MILF, MNLF and BIFF;

We ask both GPH and MILF Peace Panels to convene this investigation team and ensure inclusive stakeholders’ participation for peace in Maguindanao-- including the traditional and interfaith leaders at the grassroots, to acknowledge their roles in building a community of peace and help discourage the entry of any terrorist in Mindanao;

We reiterate our call for sobriety, especially for our policymakers, pleading and imploring kind-hearts not to derail nor halt the legislative hearing on Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and to pro-actively pursue the Road Map for Peace in Mindanao as the paramount agenda of our national government;

We ask media workers in the Philippines to practice peace journalism;  stop further brewing violence and hatred amongst populace and instead help lessen dissension, prejudices, and discrimination against Muslim brethren;

We discourage disinformation and lack of self-restraint in posting and commenting from uninformed positions in social media;

We affirm our commitment, collaboration, and cooperation for peace in Mindanao and vowed not to be blinded by anger, trauma and pain to ensure that we attain the desired outcome of the peace process between the Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF);

We place a high value on the sacredness of life and pray for mercy and compassion to sustain these peace processes for social justice and total conflict transformation.

·        Balay Integrated Rehabilitation Center for Total Human Development Inc.

·        Local Monitoring Team in Lanao del Norte Area- GPH-MILF NGO Representative

·        Interfaith Council for Peace in Mindanao

·        Mindanao Peacebuilding Institute

·        Lanao Alliance of Human Rights Advocates

·        Civil Society Organizations in Lanao del Norte Partnership for Peace and Development Inc.

·        Pasaka Inc.

·        Bantay Kalilintad

·        United Religions Initiative-South East Asia and the Pacific

·        PAKIGDAIT Inc.

·        Jesuit Refugee Service Philippines

·        Pailig Academy for Grassroots Democracy

·        Kauswagan Ulama Forum

·        Ranao Disaster Response and Rehabilitation Assistance Center

·        MSU-Institute for Peace and Development (Marawi)

·        Ranaw Muslim-Christian Dialogue for Peace (Marawi)

·        Social Initiative for Advancement and Peace (Lanao del Sur)

·        Panday Kalinaw &

·        Lanao Peace Partnership composed of

§  Pailig Development Foundation Inc.,

§  Kapamagogopa Inc.,

§  MSU-IIT Institute for Peace and Development in Mindanao,

§  Ecosystems Work for Essential Benefits Inc.,

§  Civil Society Organization Forum for Peace Inc.