TRIPOLI – Secretary Annabelle T. Abaya, head of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), has cited the continuing commitment of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) to the peace process, specifically the implementation of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA) with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

She said this is shown by the GRP’s participation in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the continuing tripartite review of the FPA.

Before reading a prepared speech, Abaya elicited nods and approving looks from the audience that included ambassadors from the members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) when she likened the search for peace as like a marriage: A continuing commitment to resolve obstacles along the way.

Abaya, Undersecretary Nabil Tan, Assistant Secretary Camilo “Bong” Montesa, chairman of the GRP panel in the tripartite review of the landmark peace pact, and other GRP delegation members are here for the MoU signing hosted by the Libyan government.

MNLF founding Chairman Prof. Nur Misuari and Montesa signed the MoU.

The review of the FPA was called upon by the OIC and is being facilitated and assisted by the OIC's Peace Committee for Southern Philippines (OIC-PCSP), chaired by Indonesia.

Ambassador Rezlan I. Jenie, director for Multi-Lateral Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, Abaya, and Muhammad Omar Barrani, director of Asian Department of Libya's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, witnessed the signing.

Clad in an elegant and silky black Chinese-inspired outfit, Abaya and Jenie thanked Libyan Leader Muammar Al-Gadhafi and OIC Secretary General Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanuglo for facilitating the signing of the MoU.

"The GRP's participation in today's event is a manifestation of its continuing commitment to the peace process and, in particular, the implementation of the peace agreement with the MNLF," Abaya said.

She said the MoU was reached through the GRP and MNLF's Joint Legal Panel, whose mandate is to "transform the common proposals into legal form and to find ways to arrive at common grounds to move forward on the issues that need further studies" based on the Joint Communique signed on March 13 in Manila during the Third Tripartite Meeting.

She cited the President's creation of the Bangsamoro Development Assistance Fund (BDAF) through Executive Order 872 as one of the GRP panel's initiative.

Abaya said that with its initial funding of P100 million from the President's contingency fund, BDAF will implement the catch-up economic plan for the FPA's implementation.

“This effort will be pursued vigorously in collaboration with MNLF and with the active participation of OIC member countries and other OIC subsidiary entities and affiliated institutions,” the presidential peace adviser said

“With the economic development in the Bangsamoro areas being pushed forward, peace is certainly within grasp,” she added.

On the other hand, Abaya hinted at a need to consult "the people" to resolve the remaining issues on the Joint Legal Panel's work to come up with a final draft of a proposed bill amending Republic Act No. 9054, the Organic Act of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

"We hope to put a conclusion to these nagging questions and to see the fruit of all the years of our collaborative effort in bringing peace and development to the Bangsamoro areas within the next six years," she said.

Meanwhile in Davao City, the MILF said it is not optimistic that a breakthrough would be achieved in their latest talks with the Philippine government in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia which ended Wednesday.

Jun Mantawil, head of the MILF peace panel secretariat, said the discussion of the agenda items went well on Tuesday. The controversial two drafts on the interim arrangement was tabled for deliberation on Wednesday, but Mantawil said a breakthrough is however “very unlikely.”

Relatedly, the Philippine government is preparing to penalize Misuari for “badmouthing” the country before the OIC.

Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza said during a closed-door Cabinet meeting held Tuesday that the National Security Council (NSC) proposed to review Misuari’s bail over rebellion charges.

Misuari’s letter to the OIC scoffing at the Arroyo government’s alleged letdown in implementing the 1996 peace pact signed between the Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) irked the President and prodded the NSC to recommend such review. The OIC is hosting the tripartite meeting in Libya.

“The recommendation of the National Security Council is to sanction former chairman Misuari. One of the recommendations is the review of the conditions of his bail,” Mendoza told reporters. (With reports from Ben O. Tesiorna, Nonoy Lacson, and Charissa M. Luci)