CAB Awaits Congress Approval

Government chief negotiator Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said that the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) signed with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) aims to realize the aspirations of our people for peace and autonomy as enshrined in the Constitution, and it is up to Congress to bring the agreement to life by passing the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

Coronel-Ferrer said that the CAB “gave flesh to all the noble aspirations and struggles of our peoples that have been codified in our Constitution.” Among these is the creation of an autonomous region in the Philippine south, which enjoys more powers compared to other local government units (LGUs) in recognition of its distinct characteristics.

“The Constitution provides the list of such powers and the process that would put in place the autonomous region,” she said.

According to the CAB, the Bangsamoro shall replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) after the ratification of the Bangsamoro Basic Law in the prospective areas of coverage of the new entity.

The Parties agreed that the Bangsamoro will adopt a parliamentary system.

Coronel-Ferrer said that the Constitution states that “the structure of government in the autonomous regions shall be provided by law,” and as such it did not contemplate an exact replica of the structure in other LGUs.

“To attain peace, the Constitution mandated that the country renounce war as an instrument of national policy and adhere to the policy of peace. In the President’s capacity as commander-in-chief and chief executive responsible for the peace, order and well-being of the country and its citizens, the President appointed us, the negotiating panel, to pursue peace in Mindanao,” explained Coronel-Ferrer as to the basis for pursuing the political settlement on the Bangsamoro.

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