The Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) that had been given preliminary approval by peace panels of the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Kuala Lumpur on July 27 stands as the only agreement in the annals of the peace process in the Philippines that has elicited so much euphoria, as it was about to end the age-old secessionist challenge in the southern Philippines.
Yet, eight days before the scheduled signing at Putrajaya, Malaysia, the promise of the MOA-AD degenerated and subsequently triggered the launch of a new round of conflict between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the MILF.
This conflict has so far resulted in the deaths of many combatants, scores of non-combatants, displaced thousands of civilians, women and children, and destroyed infrastructure, especially in mainland Mindanao.