FAB at 14: MILF chief calls for moral governance as peace process turns to normalization

COTABATO CITY — Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim on Thursday, Oct. 15, called the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) "a historic milestone in the Bangsamoro people's long struggle for justice, self-determination, and lasting peace." He spoke as the MILF and the Government of the Philippines (GPH) marked the agreement's 14th anniversary.

The anniversary came a month after the election of the first Bangsamoro Parliament. The government's top peace official said the peace process would now focus on the normalization track.

In a message in English and Filipino, Ebrahim said the gains of the peace process show that the aspirations of the Bangsamoro can be advanced through peaceful and democratic means. He paid tribute to the MILF members and supporters who gave their lives and strength to the struggle.

"We have come far, but we still have much to do," Ebrahim said in Filipino. "Achieving autonomy is an important victory, but it comes with the duty to strengthen our institutions, safeguard peace, and ensure that every Bangsamoro feels the fruits of our struggle."

He urged the promotion of "moral governance," which he described as governance anchored on integrity, accountability, justice, and concern for the people.

"The Bangsamoro government is for all, regardless of tribe, faith, or community," he added.

For the government, Presidential Peace Adviser and GPH Peace Implementing Panel (PIP) Chairperson Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento said the election of the first Bangsamoro Parliament carried forward the political track first laid out in the FAB.

"Today, our primary focus shifts to the normalization track: ensuring that decommissioned (MILF) combatants, their families, and the communities and the six acknowledged camps experience the tangible dividends of peace," Sarmiento said in a statement.

He cited recent steps taken by both parties. At a special meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Sept. 25, the GPH and MILF PIPs approved the terms of reference for a roadmap to complete the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

The two panels also signed an addendum to fast-track socioeconomic support for decommissioned combatants. They renewed the mandates of the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group and the Civilian Protection Component.

Sarmiento also noted the launch this week of the final report of the Parcellary Inventory Project. He described the report as a tool to guide development and address land concerns in priority areas across the six MILF camps.

"As chairperson of the GPH Peace Implementing Panel, I reaffirm the government's commitment, under the leadership of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to work with our MILF partners until every commitment under our signed agreements is fulfilled," he said.

The FAB, signed on Oct. 15, 2012, was among the preliminary agreements between the GPH and the MILF. It laid the foundation for the signing of the CAB in 2014 and the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in 2019.