The Bangsamoro Peace Process

Report on the Bangsamoro Peace Process
Anna Beatrice B. Baldonado
The Muslims of Mindanao, who collectively call themselves “Moros”, have been
fighting for independence since the Spanish colonial period in the 16th century. Several
policies from the Spanish, American and later the newly independent Philippine
government promoted the settlement of Christians from Luzon and Visayas to
Mindanao. It resulted to the discrimination and land dispossession of the lands of the
Muslims who have been living in Mindanao since the 13th century, when Islam was
brought to the country.
In 1968, an alleged massacre of Muslim army recruits in Manila led to the

creation of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), an armed group who advocated
the creation of “Moro homeland” in Mindanao. This started the armed conflict between
the MNLF and the Philippine army, which caused over 120,000 deaths and displaced
hundreds of thousands of people. In 1996 the government and the MNLF signed a
peace agreement that granted autonomy to provinces with Muslim majority. As a result,
the group demobilized, but a breakaway subgroup the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF) rejected the terms of the agreement. By 1997 a bilateral ceasefire has been
signed and formal peace negotiations started in 1999.
The negotiations lasted from 1997 to 2014 and were initially conducted in the
Philippines without mediation. The negotiations were halted on three occasions,
triggering new armed confrontations from 2000 to 2008. In 2001 the Malaysian
government accepted the request of the Philippine government to host and facilitate the
negotiations. In 2004, the parties agreed to form an International Monitoring Team (IMT)
to verify the ceasefire. The team comprised of 50 unarmed members of the armed
forces of Malaysia, Libya and Brunei. The team was expanded and strengthened in
2009 when two officers from the Norwegian army and two human rights experts from
the European Union (EU) joined. The IMT also incorporated a Civilian Protection
Component that comprised one international and three local non-governmental
organizations (NGOs). In the same year, the parties agreed to create an International
Contact Group (ICG) to act as observers and advisers during the negotiations. The ICG
is formed by four countries; United Kingdom, Japan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia and four
international NGOs, Conciliations Resources, the community of Sant Egidio, the center
for Humanitarian Dialogue and Muhammadiyah.
In October 2012 the parties finally, adopted the Framework Agreement on the
Bangsamoro, establishing a roadmap for the transition. And by March 2014, after 17
years of negotiations, the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) was
signed in the Presidential Palace. Under the agreement, the government would
establish a separate Bangsamoro entity.
The Bangsamoro which means “moro nation” will replace the existing
Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The Bangsamoro people are those
who at the time of conquest and colonization were considered natives or original
inhabitants of Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago and its adjacent islands including
Palawan, and their spouses and descendants.
In September 2014, the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which will legally
establish the region, was submitted to the Philippine Congress. Once the congress
passes the law, a plebiscite among the people of the Bangsamoro will take place.
However, while the bill was being discussed in Congress, the Mamasapano tragedy
happened on January 25, 2015. 44 members of the Special Action Force (SAF) of the
Philippine army were killed in a clash with MILF and the Bangsamoro Islamic Liberation
Front (BILF) in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
At present, President Rodrigo Duterte supports the passing of the BBL in

Congress immediately. In August 2016, the president signed an executive order
expanding the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), a team which will draft the
basis of the new political entity.
The government, the Filipino people, more importantly the Moros of Mindanao
and the international community still hope for the passing of the law which will pave the
road for a just and lasting peace in the Philippines.
References
Aijaz, A. (1999). Class and Colony in Mindanao.
Magdalena, F. (1997). The Peace Process in Mindanao: Problems and Prospects.

Southeast Asian Affairs .
Mercado, E. (2007). Mindanao Peace Process.
Philippine Governement-MILF Tripoli Agreement. (2001).
Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved from www.gov.ph
Resources, C. (2015). Operationalizing Women's Meaningful Participation in the

Bangsamoro.

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Report on the Bangsamoro Peace Process

Anna Beatrice B. Baldonado

In 1968, an alleged massacre of Muslim army recruits in Manila led to the

At present, President Rodrigo Duterte supports the passing of the BBL in

Magdalena, F. (1997). The Peace Process in Mindanao: Problems and Prospects.

Mercado, E. (2007). Mindanao Peace Process.

Philippine Governement-MILF Tripoli Agreement. (2001).

Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved from www.gov.ph

Resources, C. (2015). Operationalizing Women's Meaningful Participation in the

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