Gov’t, MILF wealth-sharing deal backed MANILA, Philippines - A wealth-sharing deal between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for the Bangsamoro entity would provide the “most compelling” reason for Muslim rebels to lay down their arms and help develop their communities, lawmakers from the Visayas and Mindanao said yesterday. “It is just right that our Bangsamoro brothers and sisters should have a say on how the wealth of Mindanao should be harnessed. This wealth-sharing agreement is long-overdue and will definitely have a big impact on our quest for peace in Mindanao,” Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento said. He said if the proposed Bangsamoro region succeeds, it could advance the cause of those in the Visayas and Mindanao advocating a federal system of government. “This is a good opportunity for those who are pushing for a federalized Philippines. If it works, they will have the best argument for the adoption of this system of government,” he said. In their Charter change bill, Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and his brother Maximo, who represents the party-list group Abante Mindanao, are pushing for a shift in the country’s system of government from presidential to parliamentary-federal with a unicameral parliament. “The presidential system has failed us. A parliamentary-federal structure can work wonders for our country,” they said. Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Treñas said the wealth-sharing agreement with the MILF is a fair deal, considering the vast potential of Mindanao to profit from key industries like mining, oil, energy and agriculture. He said claims by government critics that the agreement is a sell-out of the national patrimony are misplaced “because this will not just benefit the MILF but the entire Bangsamoro as well.” “The MILF and our Bangsamoro people are part of our national patrimony. With untapped minerals worth between $840 billion and $1 trillion, peace in Mindanao can jumpstart the country’s economy and turn the nation into an economic giant in a very short period of time,” he said. “We are dealing here with fellow Filipinos and not with any foreign groups or citizens. What is good for a part of our country should be good for the entire country,” he added. Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles said as long as the agreement does not contravene any provisions in the Constitution, lawmakers and the people in general should support it as it could bring about an end to the decades-old conflict in Mindanao. “This does not only provide our Bangsamoro people the opportunity to tap and nurture the wealth of Mindanao and turn battlegrounds into investment hubs, but it would also allow the government to focus on sustaining developing regions and on a catch-up program for the depressed provinces,” he said. He said the details of all agreements between the government and the MILF would be made public when documents are submitted to Congress, which will have to enact legislation for the creation of the Bangsamoro region. philstar/headlines/2013/07/18/983061/govt-milf-wealth-sharing-deal-backed Written By Jess Diaz Source: The Philippine Star Updated July 18, 2013 - 12:00am
Posted on: Fri, 19 Jul 2013 07:59:11 +0000
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