NEWS
10September
Former GPH peace negotiators warn of rising tensions in BARMM ahead of historic elections
- Sep 10, 2025
- Taher G. Solaiman
- HITS: 1374
In a joint statement dated September 7, the panel—chaired by peace negotiator Miriam Coronel Ferrer and including notable figures such as Senen Bacani and Yasmin Busran-Lao—highlighted a deepening fracture within the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the former rebel group now leading BARMM’s transition government. The panel cautioned that this internal division is being intensified by “external actors” who manipulate rival factions against each other, exacerbating existing tensions.
"Government, therefore, must help strengthen, not weaken, its implementing partner,” the statement read, warning that a fractured MILF command structure risks turning ground forces into “lost commands” susceptible to radicalization or criminal activity.
The former peace panel underscored that the threat extends beyond typical election-related violence, pointing to numerous political figures—from entrenched politicians to traditional political dynasties and emerging clans—who reportedly maintain private arsenals, raising the stakes for violence during the electoral period.
Emphasizing the foundational role of trust and partnership in the peace process, the panel urged government authorities to avoid “divisive manipulation” and to uphold the integrity of commitments enshrined in the CAB.
The signatories called on MILF leadership “across the divide” to cease actions that could further destabilize their organization and urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to remain "fully informed on the dynamics on the ground.”
They appealed for decisive presidential action to prevent a further escalation of tensions that could jeopardize the smooth transition to a democratically elected Bangsamoro Parliament and undermine the full implementation of the CAB, including the critical process of decommissioning MILF weapons and combatants.
Time in Cotabato
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