“Zamboanga City is excluded from the proposed Bangsamoro area as agreed in the peace talks,” Jajurie directly addressing the question from over 500 participants during a public forum held Wednesday by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission.
She said they are aware of the city’s stand on the issue and that they respect the position of the Zamboangueños.
MILF chief negotiator and one of the BTC Mohaqer Iqbal echoed Atty. Jajurie’s statement on the issue.
“We are clear on this issue. Zamboanga City is not part of the proposed Bangsamoro area. We know your sentiments and we respect your decision... We are here to humbly ask Mayor Beng Climaco for advice on how best they can move forward with the peace process,” Iqbal said.
Jajurie also explained that the “10% provision” in the framework agreement, which has caused confusion and apprehension among Zamboangueños, does not mean immediate inclusion in the Bangsamoro area.
“The 10% population provision in our ongoing peace talks does not mean the immediate inclusion of the city in the proposed area. It is just the required number for us to consider the inclusion of the city in the proposed Bangsamoro area. In the end, it is still the majority that will decide if they want to be included or not through a plebiscite. This is all through a democratic process,” Jajurie stressed.
On her part, Zamboanga City Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar reiterated the city government’s full support to the peace process but asked the commission to again exclude the city from the proposed area.
“We fully support President Benigno Aquino III’s peace initiatives to have a meaningful peace in Mindanao. But we again ask the commission not to include us in the proposed Bangsamoro area directly or indirectly. We are a united city with a united 98 component barangays and we again say to you that we do not want to be included in the proposed Bangsamoro area,” Climaco-Salazar emphatically declared. (PIA9)