Urgent steps needed to save Bangsamoro peace process, warn NGOs

MANILA, Philippines (MNTV) — Two civil society organizations have called for urgent confidence-building measures to prevent what they described as a looming collapse of the Bangsamoro peace process, urging both the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to recommit to transparent and good-faith negotiations, reports The Manila Times.

In a joint statement, Climate Conflict Action Asia (CCAA) and the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) said immediate steps were needed to restore trust between the parties to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

“To avert a full-blown crisis,” the groups said, “urgent confidence-building measures” must be undertaken, beginning with the identification of credible mediators who can engage both the government and MILF leadership.

They urged both sides to temper their rhetoric, stop public finger-pointing, fulfill outstanding obligations under the peace agreement, and address contentious issues “head on, transparently and in good faith.”

The organizations warned that trust had been eroded by internal divisions within the MILF, tensions at the peace implementation table, and unresolved disputes over the normalization process, including the stalled decommissioning of combatants and weapons.

Among their key recommendations was the strict upholding of the CAB and BOL “without further dilution,” cautioning against deliberate attempts to undermine the agreements to appease any party. They said the political transition — where policies, institutional frameworks and intergovernmental relations are clarified and strengthened — should be prioritized.

CCAA and IAG also stressed the need to ensure a balance between executive power and the autonomy of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, warning against secret deals or political maneuverings that could weaken commitments under the peace agreement.

They called for the strengthening of peace mechanisms and oversight functions, anchored on reliable baseline data to measure progress in governance and development. The groups likewise pressed both the MILF and the national government to complete normalization targets in full at the soonest possible time.

To address the proliferation of illicit weapons and the failure of decommissioning, the organizations proposed examining and piloting alternative pathways, including stricter firearms registration and ballistic testing consistent with Republic Act 10591.

They also cautioned against any further postponement of parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro region, saying political legitimacy must be established through a clean and credible vote, regardless of the shortened term that elected officials might serve.

CCAA and IAG said their recommendations were offered in the spirit of Ramadan and the approaching anniversary of the CAB, expressing hope that all parties would act decisively to prevent further deterioration of the peace process.