LOCAL officials from Mindanao have raised legal issues on the appointment of several individuals to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) without official endorsement from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), indicating a potential violation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).
The Luwaran.com, the official information page of the MILF Central Committee, said some of the appointees to the BTA which serves as the fundamental legal framework governing the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) might have directly violated the BOL.
“Appointments made without MILF approval despite the explicit legal stipulation, such as the appointment of individuals to the positions of Chief Minister and Members of Parliament who were not included in the official list provided by the MILF are clear violations of the agreement,” the Luwaran stated, adding that such appointments “not only violated the agreement that supports the BOL but also undermines the legitimacy of the MILF’s leadership during the transition period.”
The MILF also cited that the BOL (Republic Act No. 11054), which serves as the legal foundation of the BARMM was the product of decades of negotiations between the Philippine government and the MILF, culminating in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) in 2014.
The Luwaran also said that altering the composition of the BTA without the consent of the MILF poses a significant risk of exacerbating political divisions and rekindling frustrations among former combatants and their respective communities.
“Beyond the legal and political ramifications, this decision jeopardizes the stability of the Bangsamoro transition,” it added. “This situation brings to light significant doubts regarding the Philippine government’s commitment to its responsibilities under the CAB and BOL,” the Luwaran.
A breach of trust the selection of individuals not endorsed by the MILF, regardless of their affiliation with the MILF, constitutes more than just a procedural infraction but represents a fundamental breach of the trust essential to the peace process, it said.
The current administration’s choice to bring in people not on the MILF’s official list for the BTA goes beyond mere politics — it could actually breach the BOL and undermine the peace process, the Luwaran noted.
“If the government truly wants to uphold its promises, it needs to stick to the agreements that made the BOL possible. Failing to do so could jeopardize years of progress and shake up one of the country’s most delicate yet promising areas,” the MILF added.
Luwaran.com’s Editorial piece also stated; “For the broader peace process, this moment is pivotal. If the Philippine government disregards key provisions of the BOL, it sets a dangerous precedent. If the MILF’s role is eroded, confidence in the peace process may weaken, potentially discouraging other armed groups from negotiating with the state.”