Hataman welcomes appointment of 21-member BTC

COTABATO CITY (Feb. 11) -- Regional Gov. Mujiv
Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) today welcomed the appointment
by President Duterte of the 21 members of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission
(BTC).

The BTC shall draft a new basic law for the proposed
Bangsamoro region, which will then be enacted by Congress and ratified through
a plebiscite by the residents of the envisioned core territory.

It is also in compliance of the Comprehensive
Agreement on the Bangsamoro forged in 2014 by Manila and the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF) which came after 19 years of peace negotiations.

On Nov. 7 last year, President Duterte signed
Executive Order No. 8 creating the commission but its members’ appointments were
only released recently.

The regional government of the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao pledges to continue its unwavering support for the peace
process and looks forward to working together with the Commission in laying
down the foundations for genuine autonomy, coupled with building stronger
social and political institutions in the region, Hataman said in a statement.

The new and expanded Commission is expected, more
than ever, to uphold inclusivity in the peace process, while providing
opportunity more peoples of various personal and political backgrounds across
the Bangsamoro to participate in the efforts towards just and lasting peace in
the region, Hataman added.

The regional governor, a peace advocate and
supportive of Malacanang’s peace overture in southern Philippines, said he
hoped the commission will live up to the expectations of the Bangsamoro people
who have been longing for the elusive peace in Muslim homeland.

It is our fervent hope that the Commission will
continue the good work that has led us to this point in our history – where our
deepest hopes and aspirations as Bangsamoro people are closer than ever to
becoming our reality, he said.

On Friday, Sec. Jesus Dureza, Presidential Adviser
on the Peace Process, announced the names of the 21 new BTC members, a body
that will draft the new Bangsamoro enabling law.
This will signal the start of the work to come up
with an inclusive Bangsamoro law that will truly reflect and address the clamor
for a genuine political autonomy for the Bangsamoro people in Mindanao, said Dureza
who once served as government chief negotiator with the MILF.

The 10 nominees for the government are Atty. Jose
Lorena, Atty. Maisara Dandamun-Latiph, Samira Gutoc, Datu Mussolini Lidasan,
Dr. Susana Anayatin, Atty. Hussin Amin, Romeo Saliga, Hatimil Hassan, Atty.
Firdausi Isma Abbas and Atty. Omar Yasser Sema.

The 11 nominees from the MILF include Ghadzali
Jaafar, Mohagher Iqbal, Abdulraof Abdul Macacua, Ibrahim ALi, Haron Abas, Atty.
Raissa Jajurie, Said Shiek, Hussein Munoz, Melanio Ulama, Gafur Kunain and
Ammal Solaiman.

The BTC is one of the mechanisms under a
comprehensive deal between the government and the MILF. Its task is to draft an
enabling law that will establish a Bangsamoro political entity.

Under the EO No. 8, the consultative body will be
chaired by the MILF with 11 members, while the government nominates 10 members,
including three members from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) led by
Muslimin Sema.

Dureza said the increase in the number of BTC
members strives to bring together all key peace actors and stakeholders in the
implementation of all Bangsamoro accords.

In our initial talks with the MILF in August 2016,
we have agreed to raise the members from 15 to 21, so we can have more
representatives, more inclusive membership that represent other key sectors,
the peace adviser said.

The government has set a deadline for the BTC to submit
the draft to Congress by July for deliberations and ratification.
8 mandated the BTC to form an inclusive
Bangsamoro assembly to serve as a consultative body to discuss the proposed
enabling law with various stakeholders.