Government signs peace MOA with Cordillera rebels

MANILA, Philippines – President Aquino witnessed yesterday the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Cordillera rebels.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos Deles, Cordillera Bodong Administration (CBA) president Marcelina Bahatan and Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA) chairman Arsenio Humiding signed the peace pact in ceremonies held at Malacañang.

In his speech, the President lauded the efforts of the government to achieve peace in the conflict area, adding the peace pact is “the step that will finally end a generation-long peace process between the two parties.”

Aquino noted that the signing of the Mt. Data Peace Accord between the two parties, 25 years ago, was one of the concrete accomplishments of his late mother, former President Corazon Aquino.

He urged the people of the Cordilleras to continue cooperating with the government in maintaining peace and order in their area as he challenged them to take their part towards quietude and progress.

The MOA stipulates that the government and the CBA-CPLA will work together for peace and development in the Cordilleras. It also lays down the mechanism to ensure the final disposition of arms and forces of the CPLA and their transformation from an armed group into a socio-economic force in the region.

This is expected with economic integration and livelihood support for CPLA members, development of communities with CBA-CPLA presence, inter-municipal and inter-barangay economic development, documentation of the CBA-CPLA struggle and the transformation of the CBA-CPLA into a legal entity for socio-economic development.

The agreement also sets the creation of the joint committee that will oversee the management, operation and utilization of resources in the implementation of development projects; ensure that monitoring, evaluation and transparency measures are in place to check progress of the accord; and there is a grievance mechanism as well as a mediation and conciliation system.

The military welcomed the signing of the agreement, saying it would boost the government’s peace efforts.

“This is a big step forward towards the primacy of the peace effort we espouse in (internal security plan) Bayanihan,” Armed Forces spokesman Commodore Miguel Rodriguez said in a text message.

“We welcome our brothers from CPLA and embrace them into the mainstream society as another potent unarmed force towards development,” he said.

Rodriguez said they are hopeful that similar agreements would be forged with the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. –-Delon Porcalla The Philippine Star with Alexis Romero