MARAWI City — With the first elected Bangsamoro Parliament set to assume office on Oct. 30, religious leaders, civil society groups and community representatives are urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to meet with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chairman Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim to advance the region’s unfinished peace commitments. 

In a statement issued Thursday, Oct. 22, the group called for closer cooperation between Marcos and Murad to ensure the full implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), which laid the foundation for the region’s transition to self-governance. 

The appeal came as participants gathered for prayers and marched from the JMM Gymnasium in Matampay, Marawi City, calling on the government and the MILF to fulfill outstanding commitments under the agreement. 

Ranao Watch for Empowerment Inc. also urged the formation of a “rainbow coalition government” under Murad that would include different political parties, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), settlers and Indigenous Peoples. 

“We welcome the Palace’s word that a meeting is being scheduled. Mr. President, please meet Chairman Murad before October 30,” the statement said. 

The group also appealed to Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr. to help facilitate the meeting between Marcos and Murad. 

Unfinished commitments remain a test 

The call comes as the Bangsamoro transition enters a new phase. 

The 80 elected members of the first regular Bangsamoro Parliament are scheduled to assume office on Oct. 30 and choose the region’s chief minister. However, the shift to an elected government does not, by itself, fulfill the remaining commitments under the peace agreement. 

In September, the government and MILF peace implementing panels met in Kuala Lumpur to discuss progress under the CAB following the completion of the political track through the parliamentary elections. 

The remaining work includes commitments under the normalization track, which aims to support former combatants and conflict-affected communities in their transition to civilian life. 

For communities affected by decades of conflict, the key question is whether outstanding commitments will be fulfilled according to a clear timetable, with progress reported publicly. 

Ranao Watch said the parties should work toward an Exit Agreement, which the group views as a necessary step in completing the peace process. 

However, its statement did not provide a detailed timeline for resolving each outstanding commitment or explain how progress would be measured. 

The group described Murad as indispensable to the process, citing his leadership of the MILF during negotiations that led to the signing of the CAB in 2014. 

A peace process spanning generations 

The statement also drew a connection between the current peace efforts and the 1976 Tripoli Agreement, pursued under the administration of the late president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and the MNLF. 

“Fifty years ago, in 1976, President Ferdinand E. Marcos led the Philippine Government in pursuing peace with the MNLF through the Tripoli Agreement, opening a path to Bangsamoro peace. Today, his son can bring that peace journey to fulfillment,” the group said. 

The appeal emphasized the human cost of the prolonged conflict, calling for prayers for widows, orphans and others who suffered or died during the fighting. 

It also stressed that the region’s political transition should include Moro communities, settlers and Indigenous Peoples, ensuring that no sector is left without a voice in governance. 

“Ending one of Asia’s longest-running conflicts would be a historic achievement worthy of global recognition and the Nobel Peace Prize,” the statement said. 

As the first elected Bangsamoro Parliament prepares to take office, the challenge is to turn peace commitments into concrete results for communities still affected by decades of conflict. 

The government and MILF must clarify what remains unfinished, set a timetable for implementation and report progress publicly. 

For Bangsamoro communities, the measure of peace is not another meeting or agreement, but whether it delivers lasting security, livelihood opportunities and inclusive governance. 

Malacañang had not independently confirmed the reported meeting between Marcos and Murad at the time of writing.