PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to meet with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chairman Ahod ‘Al Haj Murad’ Ebrahim next month to discuss the government’s outstanding commitments under the Bangsamoro peace process, Malacañang said.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed Thursday that the Office of the President had received Murad’s letter requesting a meeting with Marcos.
‘As of now, there is no exact date for the meeting; it will most likely take place during the second week of November,’ Castro said in Filipino during a press briefing in Bukidnon.
She said the meeting could take place before or after the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit and related meetings scheduled in Metro Manila from November 15 to 17.
The planned talks come amid political developments in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), where rival political parties are positioning themselves ahead of the selection of the region’s chief minister.
Earlier this month, MILF supporters held rallies in Cotabato City and Manila urging Marcos to support the formation of a ‘rainbow coalition’ led by Murad in the Bangsamoro Parliament.
The appeal followed the allocation of parliamentary seats among political parties, with the MILF’s political arm, the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), securing 15 of the 40 party-representative seats.
The Bangsamoro Federalist Party, led by Abdulraof Macacua, obtained 16 seats, the largest share among political parties, and has formed the majority bloc in the regional legislature.
The Bangsamoro Parliament is scheduled to convene its first regular session on October 30 to elect a chief minister and begin work on legislation and the regional budget.
The proposed meeting between Marcos and Murad is expected to provide an opportunity to discuss the status of the national government’s commitments under the peace agreement as the Bangsamoro government enters a new phase of its political transition.