Press Release
February 6, 2014

SENATOR GUINGONA EYES INQUIRY ON BANGSAMORO AGREEMENT
SENATE INQUIRY TO GIVE GOV'T & PUBLIC BETTER GRASP ON PEACE PROCESS

Senator Teofisto "TG" Guingona III has filed Senate Resolution 471 directing the Senate Committee on Peace, Unification and Reconciliation to conduct an inquiry on the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro and the Annexes contained within. The inquiry aims to provide the government and the Filipino people a better grasp of the issues and challenges of the impending passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

Sen. Guingona, Chair of the Senate Committee on Peace, Unification, and Reconciliation, said the signing of the Framework Agreement between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is a major step towards achieving peace and stability in Mindanao.

"This is the closest we have ever been to finally achieving genuine and lasting peace in Southern Philippines. It is our duty as Filipinos to have a deeper understanding of the issues and challenges we will be facing as a nation and fully grasp the different implications of passing the Bangsamoro Basic Law," Sen. Guingona explained.

The GPH and the MILF peace panels recently signed on the last annex contained in the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Framework Agreement outlines the general features of the political settlement between the GPH and the MILF. It defines the structure and powers of the Bangsamoro entity that will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). It's annexes include processes and mechanisms for the transition until the 2016 regular election for the new Bangsamoro autonomous political entity.

"I personally feel that this landmark signing of the Framework Agreement and Peace Accord has not been given an opportunity to be celebrated and appreciated by the public. This issue affects the whole country. Stability in Mindanao is something we as a country will all benefit from. We should congratulate both the GPH and the MILF for their remarkable resolve to ensure the completion of the peace process despite the many roadblocks they had to hurdle. Now the real work begins," Sen. Guingona added.

He stressed that considering the importance of the peace process and impact on the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, a deeper understanding about the the agreement is imperative both for the Congress and the public.

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