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| Southeast Asia |
| Legal experts say Mindanao peace deal has "flaws" |
| 2014-05-19 |
| A group of constitutional law experts has said there were âflawsâ in the Mindanao peace agreement signed in March by the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and warned these could cause chaos and instability. The Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa) also pointed out some provisions in the agreement require amending the 1986 Constitution to make it valid contrary to government claims. Philconsa questioned as an example a provision for the gradual transfer of law enforcement functions from the Armed Forces of the Philippines to the Bangsamoro police force. The group warned, "We cannot have two armed forces. This is a no-no. This is risking the security, territory and people outside Bangsamoro and planting the seeds of rebellion, sedition." The group had similar issues with the revenue-sharing agreement between the government and the MILF. Philconsa argued that under the constitution, all lands of public domain, waters, minerals, fisheries, forests, timber, wildlife and other natural resources are owned by the state. Philconsa pointed out, "For Bangsamoro to share, it must be provided in the Constitution or the Constitution authorises the sharing as provided by law but certainly not through an agreement between the executive department and the MILF." However, the government peace panel has assured that the historic accord would be within the ambit of the Constitution and as such would not need Charter change or Cha-cha. |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #1 In any case, AFAIK the MILF is refusing to give up any of its weapons until such time it is convinced the autonomy mandated in the new Mindanao peace agreement is fully + permanently established. THE MILF MUST BE CONVINCED, NOT MANILA = MACALANANG PALACE. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2014-05-19 00:46 |