MANILA, Philippines: The Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have jointly launched a roadmap highlighting the commitment of the two parties in fostering peace in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
According to the Philippines News Agency (PNA), the Transitional Justice and Reconciliation (TJR) Roadmap “represents a renewed commitment between the national government and the MILF to carry out transitional justice and reconciliation in the Bangsamoro”, Presidential Peace Adviser, Carlito Galvez Jr, said in a statement today.
The roadmap is one of the key components of the Normalisation Programme of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the landmark peace agreement between the government and the MILF.
It outlines the interventions to be carried out by the national and Bangsamoro governments, civil society and other stakeholders to address legitimate grievances, correct historical injustices, resolve human rights violations, and remedy marginalisation through land dispossession.
It is anchored on the ‘Dealing with the Past’ framework, which upholds the rights to truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence.
The TJR Roadmap was launched on Tuesday at the MILF’s Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte, according to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU).
Galvez said the launch signifies the beginning of more challenging work for both parties and peace stakeholders in the region.
“With the continued solidarity of the national and BARMM governments, the MILF, and the Bangsamoro people, I am confident that our dream of achieving a just, lasting, and inclusive future for the Bangsamoro and the entire nation is now within reach,” he said.
Mohagher Iqbal, Chairperson of the MILF Peace Implementing Panel, described the roadmap as a testament to the dedication of both parties to complete the normalisation track, emphasising that true progress requires a confrontation with the past.
“There is no moving forward without looking at the past,” Iqbal said, adding that while forgiveness is possible, forgetting the history of the struggle is not an option. – BERNAMA-PNA
