Full text of P. Aquino's speech on 1st year anniv of CAB signing

One year has
passed since the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. On
March 27, 2014, we invited all those who worked hard to craft this agreement to
Malacañangand the members of different government agencies, together with our
uniformed services peace advocates who had long awaited this agreement the
representatives of different countries who joined in our success all the
stakeholders of the Bangsamoro, they who are sick and tired of conflict and
violence and of course, our brothers and sisters in the MILF who, out of a
desire to put an end to this decades-old conflict, wholeheartedly showed, and
continue to show, that they are trustworthy, and that they, like us, aspire to
peace. At the signing, we looked back on the long process of crafting an
agreement that is just and fair to all. In drafting this, we laid out the
transformation we wanted to bring to a system that had long been abused by
many, and we put to record our dreams for the Bangsamoro. What I said thenand

If we
sustain the momentum for peace, by 2016, the MILF will have shed its identity as
a military force, and transformed itself into a political entity, casting its
stake in democracy by vying for seats in the Bangsamoro elections. The
Bangsamoro shall form a perimeter of vigilance against the spread of extremism…
From this shared security, we shall enhance the era of prosperity that is
dawning upon our region, and harness its energies towards creating a regime of
opportunity and inclusivity where no one is left behind.”

Was it not a
great honor to have achieved this agreement, and was it not gratifying to
proudly tell the whole world that we Filipinos—though scattered among many
islands, though possessing different beliefs—have a shared aspiration for
peace? That we can put aside our differences, and focus on what binds us as a
nation? It saddens me to see that, after only one year, we have seemingly
forgotten the hope that we felt back then. Instead, we have replaced it with
distrust, unwarranted suspicion, and anger.

The path to
peace is not easy. The first thing we didand We identified the correct problem,
so that we would be able to implement the correct solution. Let us rememberand
The conflict in Mindanao began during the dictatorship because of
land-grabbing. The law was used to exploit the uneducated, and deny them of
their land. It is unfortunate that no one thought that if abusing the law was
the root of the problem, then it would be reasonable, just, and acceptable that
law also solve it. Until now, we feel the effects of neglecting this
problem. But it is also clear that,
today, your government adheres to a different point of view. We already have
initiatives in place, for example, that protect indigenous rights and care for
ancestral domains.

The
Bangsamoro Basic Law is one of the most important proposed bills of our
administration. It answers the two most pressing problems of our countrymenand
poverty and violence. This bill is the product of 17 years of extensive study
and negotiations.

Even then,
there are those who oppose its enactment. Unfortunately, their criticism solely
stems from a lack of understanding of the BBL take, for example, their
statements that there will be a separate police force for the Bangsamoro once
it is enacted into law. Should we trust those who say that the peace talks
should be ceased, yet offer no other solutions? If we believe these people,
where will they take us?

For my partand
If the proposed bill is lacking, it can be addressed by pushing through with
the debates on it. With the continuation of hearings about the BBL in Congress,
each one is given an opportunity to understand the proposed bill. We believeand
An initiative that arose out of good intentions can be fixed by those who
likewise have good intentions towards their fellowmen.

I am fully
aware that the events in Mindanao, together with the incident in Mamasapano,
have sowed doubt in the minds of our countrymen. The resultand it has pushed
aside the objective evaluation of the BBL.

To address
this, I am inviting citizen leaders known for their wisdom and integrity to
stand as independent convenors. These include Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle,
former Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr., Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Howard
Dee, and Bai Rohaniza Sumndad-Usman. They will gather other responsible and
respected leaders to spearhead a National Peace Summit to deliberate on and
discuss the BBL. They will dissect the proposed law in a calm and reasonable
manner that will not incite anger and hopelessness. This way, the BBL can be
improved. They will write a report that will be made public, so that everyone
may be informed, and so that more of our countrymen may understand the matter.
In this manner, we will be able to advance a reasonable decision as regards the
Bangsamoro Basic Law.

Expect that,
as we move closer and closer to attaining our long-held dream for peace, the
cacophony that aims to dismantle our trust in each other will also grow louder.
It is only right and prudent for us to prepare, for them not to succeed. Thus,
we must also carefully examine their motivations. If they truly desire to serve
their constituencies, shouldn’t they be on the side of peace? I get to wonder
nowand Are the ones calling to put a stop to the BBL those who will be the most
affected by the transformation that we seek to make permanent for the
Bangsamoro? Perhaps, their sole intention is to lord it over our countrymen
once more, the moment that the old system is restored.

There are
also those who call for an end to the peace process. They say that all-out war
is the way to go. And I ask themand What gain do you see from waging war? Now
that we are moving forward as a nation and are on the cusp of success, do they
really think that we should advance violence, only to bring us back to the path
of hardship?

Previous
administration have tried an all-out war approach. All-out war has been the
response since the 70s. How did that turn out for them and for us? The only
resultand hundreds of thousands of casualties, ruined livelihoods, and a status
quo of suffering in Mindanao. Is it not clear that their approach was wrong?
What were the results? Did the conflict end? Didn’t such an approach lead to
the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Filipinos? There were reports that,
during the time of Mr. Marcos, blackouts were purposefully done to conceal the
arrival of body bags, so that no one could see the large number of casualties.

Consider
thisand if the peace process is derailed once more, we will lose ground for
sincere dialogue with leaders, and with all the Moros who are ready to listen
to reason and who genuinely seek peace. Isn’t it possible that they too might
be pushed to join those who want violence? If the troubling situation in
Mindanao worsens, the wounds would grow deeper, and more persons would resent
their condition. Those who were previously neglected and abused by the system
and by institutions will further feel mistreated. Those who have never been
reached by the assistance of government will suffer all the more. Do you think
that, should all this happen, they will be sincere partners in peace talks
after being hurt, after shedding blood, and after being persecuted?

We all know
the reasons behind the spreading influence of bandits such as the Abu Sayyaf.
Some communities have long been denied service and care from the government.
Given this lack of support from the government, the Abu Sayyaf compensated for
the neglect. While the government only showed itself to these communities
during elections or military operations, the Abu Sayyaf was there and, despite
causing trouble, it saw to the needs of these communities. Because of this, the
Abu Sayyaf earned their sympathies. There were even those who coddled the Abu
Sayyaf, after receiving a cut of their ransom money.

This is the
crossroads we faceand We take pains to forge peace today, or we count body bags
tomorrow. To those who have called for all-out war as the solution, do you
think we’ll be able to talk peace after the shooting has started, when the
wounds, and the failure of the talks, would be raw?

Perhaps it is
easy for you to push for all-out war because Luzon and Visayas are far from the
conflict. But if the conflict grows, the number of Filipinos shooting at other
Filipinos will grow, and it would not be out of the question that a friend or
loved one be one of the people who will end up inside a body bag. If this is
where it will end up, the sacrifices of those who have given their lives for
our much-desired peace would have been wasted. If you ask the soldiers, police,
and other uniformed ranks, they would be the first to oppose war, because they
would bear the brunt of it.

Let me make
it clearand This decision is not just for the remainder of my term, but for the
benefit of the next generations. To you young people, will you suffer a society
in which you would be required to march into war instead of fulfilling your
dreams? To the parentsand Would you want the next generation to inherit a future
marked by conflict? We will not allow for this to happen. We will continue on
the path that will bring us closer to peace.

When before
they stood on opposing sides, today, the MILF and our government are engaged in
dialogue. But our partners in the MILF, Al Haj Murad and Mohagher Iqbal, are
not getting any younger. There is no guarantee that those who will follow them
will show the same trust and the same desire to lay down arms. Should we fail
to pass the BBL, how can we urge their men to continue the search for peace?
Should that happen, would it not be easier for the violent elements in their
ranks to say, See, negotiations and dialogue lead to nothing, our guns are
still more powerful.” Let us rememberand The potential of two generations has
been wasted because of conflict. Now that we are all here, are we going to
allow the succeeding generations to meet the same fate?

Allow me to
emphasize, once againand Violence cannot resolve violence anger can never come
to an end, if it is also met with anger. Only compassion can put an end to
violence only love can extinguish anger. Is it too much to ask that Filipinos
show compassion and love to their fellow Filipinos? No one can deny that, if we
attain peace, the standard of living in the Bangsamoro will rise. And when one
region rises, so too does the entire country. Indeedand peace is the only path to
our aspirations of inclusive growth.

On this day,
God willing, may we be reminded that we have a golden opportunity at present to
attain peace, and ensure that the positive fruits of laying down arms will
enlighten those who wish to sow chaos. God willing, may we remember that a
brighter future waits we need only to strengthen and continue what we have
already started. Let us reinforce our trust let us reinforce our hope these
will be our contributions to an orderly and prosperous society, one that we can
be proud of, and one that we can bequeath to the next generations. I do not
pursue peace just to add to my legacy. What we are pursuing is a genuine peace
that truly addresses the roots of the problems that led to violence. At this
point in our history, I say to all of youand The BBL will make this a reality.

Good
afternoon and thank you to everyone.