MILF leadership seeks direct talks with Marcos on Bangsamoro accord

COTABATO CITY — Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim has formally requested an audience with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to discuss progress on the Bangsamoro peace agreement, according to a letter transmitted to the Office of the Executive Secretary on October 1.

Ebrahim's request, conveyed through Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, seeks a meeting between the MILF leadership and the president to address outstanding matters related to the implementation of the landmark accord that established the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The MILF, which signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) with the government in 2014, has long sought to ensure full implementation of the peace accord. The meeting request signals the organization's intention to engage directly with the highest levels of government on the matter.

The Bangsamoro agreement is considered a cornerstone of efforts to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao following decades of armed conflict between government forces and separatist groups. Implementation challenges have persisted since the establishment of the autonomous region in 2019.