Professor Esmael A. Abdula, Executive Director of KPI and BLMI Steering Committee member who served as resource person told the participants that the main agenda of the peace process is ‘How to Solve the Bangsamoro Problem? “The peace process is a political means to achieve the Bangsamoro’s right to self-determination”, Abdula stressed.
Abdula explained the stages of the Bangsamoro Struggle for Right to Self Determination, and the gains of the GPH-MILF Peace Process.
He narrated the Bangsamoro armed struggle from 1968-1997 and cited the bloody war during Martial Law, the Estrada – All-out war of April 2000, Gloria Arroyo’s– All-out war of February 11, 2004 and the 2008 offensive launched by Comdr. Bravo and the late Aleem Ameril Umbra at the aftermath of Supreme Court’s junking of the MOA-AD.
Abdula also mentioned the two major signed agreements, the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) that recognized the legitimate cause of the Bangsamoro people and provided for the creation of a Bangsamoro new political entity in Southern Philippines.
"Last February24, 2017, the government and the MILF launched the expanded Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) composed of 21 members. It was held at the Waterfront Insular Hotel, Davao City.
The new BTC is composed of 11 members nominated by the MILF and 10 members nominated by the government.
MILF 1st Vice Chair Ghazali Jaafar has been chosen by the MILF Central Committee to chair the
expanded commission.
The 10 members who were nominated by the government panel are lawyers Jose Lorena, Maisara Damdamun-Latiph, Hussin Amin, Atty. Firdausi Abbas and Omar Yasser Sema; Samira Gutoc, Dr. Susana Anayatin, Datu Mussolini Lidasan, Romeo Saliga and Hatimil Hassan. Saliga represents the Indigenous Peoples (IP).
The 11 members nominated by the MILF are Jaafar, Mohagher Iqbal, Abdulraof Macacua, Ibrahim Ali, Atty. Raisa Jajurie, Said Shiek, Hussein Munoz, Timuay MelanioUlama, Gafur Kanain, Ammal Solaiman and Haron Abas.