With the changing of the guard in the last Presidential Election the GPH-MILF Peace Process was once again resuscitated.When Talks had ended in late 2009 (though officially they continued inching along until this past spring,2010) the Peace Process appeared to be like so many efforts of the preceding Administration,simply dead in the water.With impressive go to-edness newly inagurated President Aquino wasted no time in confronting 1 of the nation's most formidable obstacles in terms of peace and development.By July 15th,2010,roughly two weeks after assuming the mantle of government,the President named his Chairperson for the GPH Peace Panel,Professor Mario Victor"Marvic"F.Leonen,Dean of Law at the University of the Philippines.
Professor Leonen's field of expertise is International Law (personally I had hoped it would be Constituional Law simply for the volatile terrain it would produce during Talks).Thus far Leonen has tried to remain above the fray while not sacrificing his stated commitment to framing the process Constitutionally.Why all this talk of the Constitution you ask (if perhaps you had been on vacation in some unimaginable place not yet innundated with media hacks)?The answer,naturally,is that the Peace Process hit a brick wall on August 4th,2008 because of the hugely anticipated MoA-AD (Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain) was zapped with a Restraining Order by the Supreme Court (which subsequently found that the document in fact contravened the 1987 Constitution).While the preceeding was great news for those who love an Independant Judiciary (as well as the great many people who didn't wish to see the Republic dissected over manufactured ethno-nationalist fantasies),it led to 750,000 IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons,i.e."Refugees"),at least 1,100 dead and countless wounded and traumitised...and of course,that"floundering Peace Process"I just mentioned.
Joining Professor Leonen will be 4 Panel members whom the President began naming a month later,in August;
I) Senen C.Bacani,63,graduated Summa Cum Laude from Da Salle before gaining his graduate degree at the University of Hawaii where he studied as a scholar in the "East-West Scholarship Program."Becoming a corporate hack at Dole he spent most of the next 20 years abroad on company business.Like many of the nation's brightest and best he returned home post-Marcos to lend a hand in rebuilding the country.In 1991 he was appointed Secretary of Agriculture under President Corazon Aquino,the current President's late mother.Though he only held the post through 1992 his tenure was remarkable for it being the first time in modern history that the nation was able to become an exporter of rice instead of importing it.Likewise it marked the first time that the nation gained self sufficiency with corn as well.While Bacani can't take all the credit for those 2
two great accomplishments,his effort and know how certainly played a part.
Why would an agri-biz whiz be chosen to negotiate with an insurgent army?While working for Dole he had made the acquaintance of Datu Ibrahim"Toto"Paglas,a Maguindanaw (Maguidanoan) leader from the Maguindano/Sultan Kudarat Provincial border who also happened to be a nephew of the late Hashim Salamat,founder of the MILF/BIAF.Capaitalising on this relationship Bacani,with Datu Paglas as his partner,began lapping up hectare after hectare of arable land between the towns of Datu Paglas (it is the home town of the afore mentioned Datu"Toto,"named after an ancestor) and Buluan which directly borders Sultan Kudarat Province.Before converting that land Bacani had used another personal relationship to secure a multi-year commitment from the family owned Chiquita Corporation to purchase the intended cash crop,bananas.
By the turn of the millenium the vast plantation,doing business as
"La Frutera,"was employing upwards of 1,500 locals,90 percent of whom were Muslims.More than a few of that number were active members,or otherwise dependants of members of the MILF/BIAF.Aside from the plantation,which now owns 1,100 hectares of producing land making the ARMM's (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) most productive businesses,the endeavour is a fabulous example of how compromise can lead to sustainable development.One such example that often comes to my mind is how Bacani and Datu"Toto" were able to manage a most vexing problem.As the plantation began expanding expotentially the partners had difficulty managing their irrigation needs.Bacani,a man who thinks big apparently decided that they would be best off with the best irrigation engineers in the world...Israelis.As one might imagine the idea of Israelis setting up shoppe in ARMM wasn't exactly well received,to say the least.Datu"Toto"had learned to trust Bacani's instincts (not to mention his incredible knowledge) and after a very brief bout of reluctance decided to talk to his Uncle Hashim and secure official MILF backing for the prposed venture.Just after the 2000 War launched by (then) President Estrada led the MILF leadership,including Salamat to ensconce themselves deep in the bush,the group's former headquarters at Camp Abubakar having fallen to the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines).After a long,e day trek up-country Datu"Toto"was able to secure Salamat's blessing,and by relation,the MILF's.Why would the MILF agree to such an
Would the MILF agree to such a politically unpalatable idea? As Datu"Toto"told it,Salamat said that as long as it is Filipino-Muslims (of course Salamat would have called them"Bangsamoros") receive the ultimate benefit he was all for it.There is a valuable lesson to be learned in that anecdote;When people can genuinely improve their lives in a sustainable manner politics almost always takes a backseat,and well it should.That Bacani was the man who realised that nugget first,and that he had both the faith and the gumption to follow through with "La Frutera"makes him Panel materiel (and then some).
II) Professor Miriam Coronel Ferrer,an Assistant Professor in the University of the Philippines' Political Science Department was the second appointee and paid her dues as a Peace Advocate not only here in the Philippines but abroad as well.Formerly the Director of the school's"Third World Studies Center"from 2000 to 2003 she has been involved in NGO campaigns for disparate causes such as the banning of and continued awareness against Landmines,work that took her to Cambodia in the post-Khmer Rouge Era.Currently active with the grassroots organisation,"Sulong CARHRIHL,"which seeks to keep CARHRIHL (Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law),an Agreement brokered between the Government and the NDFP (National Front of the Philippines).As an academic with Leftist credentials she has in the past been called on by the government in the GPH-NDFP Peace Process as well;from 2/2001 to 2/2003 Ferrer served as a member of the Reciprocal Working Committee for Political and Constitutional Reforms (RWC-PCR) for the GPH Peace Panel.Currently she passes her time,when not busy working towards her PhD in Political Science at Tokyo University's Graduate School for Law and Politics as an online columnist for the Philippine television network,ABS-CBN,covering political affairs.
III) Professor Hamid Barra,of Mindanao State University in Marawi City,Lanao del Sur Province is Chairman of that school's King Faisal Center for Islamic,Arabic and Asian Studies.While Barra's placement on the panel might seem predicated upon his ethnicity and or religion neither attribute really serves the government's cause given the man's long and close relationship with the state.A past Secretary of the NCMF (National Council of Muslim Filipinos),a token govermental portfolio that was created to offer the appearance that the government actually cares about minority affairs...or simply that they even understand what a"Filipino Muslim"is.Professor Barra's Peace Making credentials are a bit shabby as well with the only association worth mentioning is his currently holding the Presidency of the"Ulama League."The Ulama League is an entity composed of pro-government Islamic scholars and clerics who make an absolutely minimal effort to inunece a constituency that pays it no mind in any regard.For all Barra's milquetost ambiance he has still managed,in his own minute way to court controversy.The Philippines,as a concession to the Saudi sponsored OIC (Organisation of the Islamic Conference) created a government position to act as an interface with the Saudis for the annu Haj Pilgramage,the"Amerol Haj" (Leader of the Pilgramage).
The Haj takes place annually and involves a trip to al Hejaz,a region in Saudi Arabia where the e holiest cities of Islam,Mecca and al Medina are located.The trip is incumbent upon all Muslim adults with sufficient financial and physical means.Seeing as how there are currently well over 1 billion Muslims on the planet one can easily imagine what a massive undertaking this is logistically and otherwise.While the title of"Amerol"is largely ceremonial the governmental bureau which the Secretary leads encompasses more a than a little political cachet (in other words,looks great on a resume
).This minimal consideration was enough to place Barra on the hotseat.The largely titular position of Amerol is concurrently held by the sitting Secretary of the NCMF.For the first time ever the Secretary of the NCMF is a woman,Bai Lucman.Islam,being the patriarchal religion that it is does not permit a female Amerol.Without consulting Bai Lucman the powers that be opted to have Professor Barra be made Amerol for 2010.The real problem though,arose when everyone (that is to say"everyone in the tiny world that cares at all about such things") began assuming that Barra was ALSO concurrently the sitting Secretary of the NCMF.Sounds like SOME people have way too much time on their hands (just like those of us that Blog).
IV) The last member of the Panel seems to be an after thought,a name chosen out of a hat;Ramon A.Piang,long time Mayor of Upi,Maguindanao Province who just assumed the position of Vice Mayor in the last election,having served the maximum 3 terms in office (9 years total).Vice Mayor Piang is certainly multi-cultural being part Maguindanowan (Maguindanoan),part Teduray (a small Lumad Tribe centered in that same town) and part Chinese.If he could claim some Cebuano (Bisaya) or Ilonggo ancestry I might include a link to,"We are the World."
With the 5 members empaneled the group began the tedious chore of going over all past bi-lateral Agreements,Memorandums and Joint Communiques.By October they were ready to join with the Cabinet Security Cluster (representatives from the Defense and Intel echelons who closely advise the President on pertinent matters) and by month's end had together developed what they feel is a viable framework for negotiation,always cognisant of the pre-requisite Constituional onus (of course).One hopes that THIS Panel avoids the legal and moral shortcuts undertaken by its predecessor.
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