Multi-Stakeholders Caucus on GPH-MILF Peace Talks
May 18, 2012, Davao City

After 22 months of negotiations between the Philippine government (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) under the administration of President Noynoy Aquino, a major breakthrough finally took place during  their 27th exploratory talks last April 24, 2012 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where both parties signed the "10-decision points on principles as of April 2012".

The principles that the parties mutually agreed upon include recognition of the Bangsamoro identity and legitimate grievances and claims of the Bangsamoro people, creation of a new autonomous political entity in place of  the ARMM which shall have a ministerial form of government, the institution of transitional mechanisms to implement agreement and the power-sharing and wealth-sharing between the National Government and the new  political entity.

For the civil society organizations, the principles clearly presented the foundations and basic layout for a comprehensive peace agreement. Historians viewed the signing as a "miracle". Peace groups lauded this as a  "significant breakthrough" that should pave the way for both parties to craft a peace agreement. For the GPH peace panel, they hope to sign a peace agreement with the MILF with "due and deliberate speed". For the MILF  peace panel, they finally saw "light at the end of the tunnel" for the first time after years of negotiations with the government which started in 1997 - spanning four Presidential administrations, and three major wars in 2000,  2003, and 2008.

Sungku, Lantapan, Bukidnon -  The sound of the tambol (drums) greets participants as they enter the Talaandig Ancestral Domain in Sungku,, Lantapan, Bukidon, Mindanao. The long dirt road is lined with flags, each one indicating the names of the participating tribes, in honor of the guests who have come for the historic Reaffirmation of Kinship Ceremony between the Bangsamoro and Indigenous Peoples of Mindanao.

“This is an historic event that no historian should miss. We are writing a new chapter in the history of Mindanao.” As a historian and a former Chair of the Government Peace Negotiating Panel with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Professor Rudy Rodil knows, intimately, the significance of this historic event.

Manila – In search for justice and speedy trial, action star Robin Padilla has lent his voice to help human rights defender Cocoy Tulawie’s quest for justice by organizing a salu-salo with the members of the media and Manila based civil society groups last March 2, 2010   at the Arya Persian Restaurant, Greenhills Shopping Complex in San Juan, Metro Manila.

Robin, a balik-Islam and Cocoy, an active member of the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS) became friends after working together on series of philanthropic projects in the poor and marginalized communities in Sulu since 2005.

Sinuda, Kitaotao, Bukidnon - More than three thousand members of the Federation of Matigsalog Manobo Tribal Councils, Inc. (FEMMATRICS) joined the mass mobilization in the national highway of Davao-Bukidnon road.  Leaders, elders, women and youth in their complete Indigenous attire held placards and streamers along the highway with the following messages:  Ancestral Domain is not for sale, Respect Customary Laws, Our Ancestral Domain is for our next generation. The rally was also to inform the public and the government that they are united in protecting their rights and their ancestral domains.