speech of secretary teresita quintos deles at the 2014 lmp mindanao island cluster conference

8/10/2019 Speech of Secretary Teresita Quintos Deles at the 2014 LMP Mindanao Island Cluster Conference

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SPEECH OF SECRETARY TERESITA QUINTOS DELES

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process

At the LMP Mindanao Island Cluster Conference

Oxford Hotel, Clark Field, Pampanga

27 October 2014

(Salutations)

Magandang gabi po sa ating lahat.

Unang-una, nagpapasalamat po ako sa inyong imbitasyon sa akin para

dumalo sa pagbubukas ng pagpupulong ng lahat ng mga miyembro ng Liga

ng mga Munisipyo sa buong Isla ng Mindanao.

Isang karangalan po na ako ay makasama upang makapagbahagi sa

inyong pagpaplano at paghahanda upang lalong palakasin ang lokal na

pamamahala sa bawat bayan sa Mindanao, alinsunod sa direksiyon ng

Administrasyong Aquino na magkaroon ng inklusibong pag-unlad at maayos

na pamamahala.

Mahigit apat na taon na mula nang kami ay sumama kay Pangulong

Noynoy Aquino upang isagawa ang Tuwid na Daan na pamamahala para

sa sambayanang Pilipino na nagluklok sa kaniya sa pagiging Pangulo ng

bansa.

It has been more than four years since the President pronounced in a

statement in April 2010 that his administration will resume the quest for

peace with vigor and clarity of purpose that Our quest must not only


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focus on ensuring the stability of the state and the security of our nation.

Our ultimate goal must be the safety and well-being of our people

It has been more than four years since we made the commitment to

revive the peace process on the basis of a comprehensive understanding of

the root causes of the conflict, under clear policies that pave the way ahead

and driven by a genuine desire to attain a just and lasting peace.

In the past four years, the Mindanao peace process has been marked

with difficulties after difficulties, challenges after challenges, but also, with

triumphs after triumphs, and the continuing commitment of this

Administration to achieve the goal that it has set. It is this goal that serves

as the platform from which the Bangsamoro rises.

Before I continue, I would like to pause and show you a video that

will show the roadmap on the establishment of the Bangsamoro. I promise

that it is a short one, and will help us imagine in six minutes how the

Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro will be implemented

towards achieving just and lasting peace in Mindanao.

[VIDEO]

As you saw and heard, President Benigno S. Aquino III led the

ceremonial turnover of the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law to Congress

through Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Feliciano

Belmonte Jr last September 10, at Malacanan.

I am happy to inform you that much has happened since then that

have continued to move the process forward.


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At the House of Representatives, the draft basic law was filed last

September 11 as House Bill No. 4994. In the afternoon of the same day that

the bill was turned-over to Congress, an Ad Hoc committee on the

Bangsamoro was constituted with Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro,

a former Dean of the San Sebastian College of Law, as chair, and a total of

seventy-five Representatives as members mainly representing districts in

Mindanao. This committee immediately organized itself to start performing

its task, and on September 24, 2014, the first hearing was conducted. This

was followed by various hearings within the premises of the House of

Representatives, and just last week, the Committee went south to key areas

in Mindanao to conduct public hearings. I believe that some of you were

invited and participated in these consultations. Provincial public hearings

will continue up to December.

In the Senate, the draft basic law was filed as Senate Bill No. 2408.

Thirteen senators, which is more than half of the composition of the Senate

and with four coming from the minority bloc, signed as co-authors of the

priority measure, showing strong multi-partisan support. The bill has been

referred to the committees on local governments, and on peace, unification

and reconciliation, chaired by Senator Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos, Jr.

and Senator Teofisto TG Guingona, respectively.

The two Senate committees have likewise undertaken much work in

the performance of their tasks. Following the first public briefing held last

September 23 at the Senate, the assigned committees have also conducted

joint public consultations in Cotabato City and Marawi City. As with the

House of Representatives, the Senate will hold public consultations up to

December.


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Surely we can say - the momentum for peace continues to build.

As leaders in your own municipalities, you appreciate the importance

of according all stakeholders the opportunity to be heard and to be

represented in public hearings.

This is what both chambers of Congress will seek to achieve: a fair,

transparent, and sober discussion on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law

anchored on the Constitution, and guided solely by national interest and

our peoples aspirations for genuine peace and progress.

Ang balak po ng ating mga senador at kongresista ay magsagawa ng

public hearings sa Mindanao upang madinig ang opinyon at saloobin ninyo

tungkol sa panukalang ito. Inaasahan namin ang masiglang paglahok ng

ating mga LGUs sa usaping pangkayapaan lalung-lalo na tungkol sa

Bangsamoro Basic Law.

Tunay na marami na po ang mga nangyari, at marami pang

mangyayari. Ang trabaho ay hindi natapos sa pirmahan ng gobyerno atMILF

sa Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro o CAB. Hindi rin po

matatapos ang ating trabaho kapag mapasa ang Bangsamoro Basic Law at

maratipikahan ng ating mga kababayan sa mga lugar na tatanungin kung

sila ay payag sa batas na ito.

Habang sumusulong tayo sa daan ng pagtatatag ng Bangsamoro,

lalong dadami, at magiging mas mahirap ang ating kakaharapin.


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Our peace journey has reached this far because so many people cared

enough for it to prosper; and because, given the enormous costs that war

has brought to bear upon the people of Mindanao, we all know that failure

is never an option. We have this unique and precious opportunity to be co-

authors of peace in this country. This is why it is important for our local

leaders to be involved in public hearings and dialogues about the

Bangsamoro. We want a law that would stand the test of time, and would

close the gap, bridge the divides, among our people.

Tama na ang giyera, tama na ang karahasan. Kailangang magsama-

sama ang lahat para itaguyod ang isang mapayapa at maunlad na

kinabukasan para sa ating mga anak, para sa ating mga apo.

The passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law and its successful

ratification through a plebiscite will lead to the first regional elections in

the Bangsamoro in 2016. A ministerial form of government will be put in

place led by a chief minister, under the supervision of the President.

The draft law specifically states that the Bangsamoro is part of the

Philippines and that the Constitution will reign supreme over its

inhabitants. Meanwhile, the normalization process is also underway, and

the panels have caused the formation of an Independent Decommissioning

Body, composed of independent experts from here and abroad which will

aid us in the implementation of the Annex on Normalization under the CAB

particularly with regard the decommissioning process which will ensure

that MILF armed forces and weapons will be put beyond use. The passage

of the Bangsamoro Basic Law will lead to more milestones for peace that

would pave the way for the turn over of arms from the MILF side.


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I urge you, as Mayors of your Municipalities, to hold public fora to

help the public get a better understanding of the proposed BBL and get the

public involved in understanding its salient points.

Once the law is passed and ratified in a plebiscite, the ARMM shall be

deemed abolished. In its place, the law provides for the creation of a

Bangsamoro Transition Authority or BTA, the members of which will be

appointed by the President.

The BTA will govern the Bangsamoro until its new leaders are

elected in the 2016 national and local elections.

This political roadmap will be complemented by the normalization

process, which is composed of three main components; namely security,

socioeconomic development, and transitional justice and reconciliation.

Normalization aims to return conflict-affected communities in Mindanao to

a peaceful life wherein people could pursue sustainable livelihoods free

from fear of violence and crime.

The security aspect of normalization includes policing, phased

decommissioning of MILF forces and weapons, redeployment of the Armed

Forces of the Philippines appropriate to the prevailing security situation as

determined by the AFP, and the disbandment of private armed groups.

The socio-economic development programs will be undertaken for

the rehabilitation, reconstruction and development of the Bangsamoro.

These will be instituted to address the needs of former combatants,


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internally displaced persons, and poverty-stricken communities.

Transitional justice mechanisms will also be put in place to address

the legitimate grievances of the Bangsamoro people, correct historical

injustices, and address human rights violations with the end in view of

healing the wounds of conflict.

All of these components of the Normalization process will be

overseen by various mechanisms that were created as provided for in the

CAB. These include the Joint Normalization Committee, the Joint Peace and

Security Committee, the Independent Decommissioning Body, the Inter-

Agency Task Force that will handle the transformation of MILF camps, and

the Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Committee.

Indeed, we have gained momentum in moving the Bangsamoro peace

process forward.

It has always been the goal of government to lessen--if not

completely eradicate--violence on the ground in which our people are

caught in the crossfires. We stand by our position that the peace table will

always be there for the talks between both parties to proceed, but it must

be with a clear and mutually acceptable agenda and timetable.

We stand now on the brink of a new era of peace and development in

the Bangsamoro, and throughout Mindanao. We stand here ready to close

the door to conflict and enter a world sharing peace, prosperity and

security. What we are witnessing is a country coming together in taking

bold, unprecedented, and, yes--historic steps to define peace in the context


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of heritage and cultural identity.

Where conflict once reigned, peace and progress will soon flourish.

Muslims, Christians, and indigenous peoples from all corners of the south

will have jobs to apply for, schools to study in, and opportunities to plant

and raise food for the rest of the country. This can only be possible when

we stand strong and united on the side of genuine peace. We have to stay

the course.

Our collective dream is to wake up to a new Mindanao enjoying an

enduring peace, where people are free to travel to every nook and corner,

where children can be assured of the chance to grow up and grow old, and

lead creative and productive lives.

We are now living that dream under the Presidents tuwid-na-daan

leadership. But the President cannot do this alone he needs your help. We

need your help. Help us explain the Bangsamoro Basic Law to your

constituents and light the torch for peace in your localities.

If we are now rising to the top economically, can you imagine how

high our country can soar once genuine peace is obtained in Mindanao? Let

that be our mission, our legacy, our gift to our people.

As Bangsamoro rises, so will we all as a Filipino people, as a country.

Maraming salamat, at magandang gabi.

Shukran.

speech of secretary teresita quintos deles at the 2014 lmp mindanao island cluster conference

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