At the Crossroads of Peace: Why 14,000 Unarmed Combatants Hold the Key to Bangsamoro’s Future

COTABATO CITY (October 22) — Outside the crisp, air-conditioned halls of the Bangsamoro Parliament Building, life goes on in the quiet villages scattered across the autonomous region. But as leaders prepare to convene the region’s first fully elected parliament on October 30, 2026, an unfinished promise looms over the historic political transition: nearly 14,000 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants are still waiting in limbo.

For these former fighters, peace is not merely a political word signed on parchment—it is a daily reality defined by whether they can feed their families, trade their rifles for farm tools, and live without fear.

As the interim Bangsamoro Transition Authority hands over governance to a newly elected assembly following the September 14 elections, the long-standing question of normalization is shifting from diplomatic hotel rooms directly into the public legislative spotlight.

The Promise of Normalization

The story traces back to the milestone 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).Central to the peace treaty was a two-pronged approach: political autonomy for the region and a “normalization track” for its fighters. Normalization meant deactivating combat units, surrendering weapons, and integrating former fighters into peaceful civilian society with government support packages, cash assistance, and community development projects.

While over 26,100 combatants completed decommissioning by mid-2024, the process ground to a halt in July 2025. Facing delays in receiving the promised socioeconomic support packages, the MILF leadership deferred the final decommissioning phase involving the remaining 14,000 fighters and 2,450 firearms until outstanding government commitments were substantially met.

“Fifty years. Twenty months. One meeting. The seat moved, but the command stayed.”

— Sultan Alim Saad Amate, Convenor of civic coalition AMANA BARMM

“One Meeting, One Legacy”: The Call to Malacañang

In an October 1 letter, MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim formally requested a high-level conference with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to establish verifiable delivery mechanisms and finalize an exit agreement before the President’s term ends in 2028.

Local civic groups under the AMANA BARMM coalition have rallied behind the request, urging Malacañang to grant the meeting prior to the inaugural parliamentary session on October 30.

Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento has reassured the public that national commitments remain steadfast, noting that joint peace panels recently approved updated roadmaps and signed addendums on September 25 to accelerate aid delivery.

Yet for local communities, progress will be measured not by signed documents, but by real assistance arriving in former conflict zones.

The Debate Inside the Assembly: Peace Aid vs. Public Infrastructure

When the 80-seat Parliament convenes, lawmakers will face an immediate policy dilemma over budget allocation and governance priorities:

• The MILF Perspective: Led by Peace Panel Chief Mohagher Iqbal, MILF leaders maintain that true regional stability cannot be achieved while thousands of combatants remain armed. They argue that the regional parliament must back normalization measures with dedicated funding to fulfill historical peace obligations.
• The Opposition & Regional Coalitions: Non-MILF lawmakers and opposition blocs argue that voter mandates require the regular parliament to prioritize universal development—such as provincial healthcare, municipal subsidies, farm-to-market roads, and public schools—benefiting all Bangsamoro residents equally.

What Lies Ahead for BARMM Communities?

Beyond the political coalition-building in Cotabato City, ordinary residents across Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao,Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi are looking for tangible stability.

A successful transition means:

• Economic Security: Transforming former combat camps into vibrant agricultural hubs and trade centers.

• Community Safety: Ensuring private armed groups are disbanded and weapons are permanently decommissioned.
• Inclusive Policy: Uniting diverse political factions—including the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Indigenous Peoples, and settler communities—under a shared legislative vision.

As lawmakers take their oaths of office at noon on October 30, the credibility of the regional peace process rests on a simple truth: long-term peace is built when promises made on paper become opportunities realized on the ground.