COTABATO CITY (September 10) — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has called on Turkey to witness the Sept. 14 parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), highlighting Ankara’s long-standing role in the peace process that transformed the former rebel movement into a political force.
MILF chairman Ahod “Al-Haj Murad” Ebrahim extended the invitation in a letter dated Aug. 30 to Turkish Ambassador to the Philippines Niyazi Evren Akyol. A copy of the letter has circulated on social media.
Turkey is a key member of the International Monitoring Team (IMT), which was established under the peace process to help monitor the implementation of commitments made by the MILF and the Philippine government.
The IMT has helped provide an international presence on the ground, monitor security and other aspects of the peace agreement, and build confidence between the former combatants and the government as the peace process moved from negotiations toward normalization and political transition.
Turkey’s involvement dates back to the peace negotiations that produced the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. The agreement was followed by the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law in 2018 and the establishment of the BARMM in 2019.
“The MILF recognizes with deep appreciation the indispensable role of international partners in advancing the peace process through mediation, normalization support, development cooperation and sustained diplomatic engagement,” Ebrahim said in his letter.
“In this spirit, we respectfully invite Your Excellency and the Embassy of Turkey to witness the historic moment of Bangsamoro people [joining] in democratic process,” he added.
The invitation comes as the Bangsamoro prepares for its first parliamentary elections, a major milestone in the implementation of the peace agreement.
About 2.393 million registered voters are expected to elect 78 members of the BARMM parliament on Sept. 14.
For the MILF, the vote represents a significant transition from armed struggle to electoral politics, with the former rebel organization now seeking to advance its political agenda through the autonomous region’s democratic institutions.
