President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s sustained implementation of the Bangsamoro peace agreements, ranging from amnesty and normalization for former Moro combatants to strengthening regional autonomy, has paved the way for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to complete its historic transition from an armed revolutionary movement into full democratic political participation.
The national government’s peace initiatives are converging with the political track as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) prepares to hold its first regular parliamentary elections on Monday, September 14, 2026—exactly 50 years after the signing of the historic 1976 Tripoli Agreement.
Datu Michael O. Mastura, a former senior member of the MILF peace negotiating panel and delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention, welcomed the MILF’s entry into the electoral arena.
“The important thing is that they (MILF) are seeking legitimacy. So, let us welcome them to the electoral process,” Mastura said in an interview.
“They have to know how to transition from an armed conflict group to a party seeking seats in a parliament, in a voting-rights way,” added Mastura, who previously served as deputy minister for the Office of Muslim Affairs and represented Maguindanao and Cotabato City in Congress.
“I am very happy that they have accepted it. Finally, we have the go-signal on Monday, Sept. 14,” he expressed.
Mastura emphasized that the significance of the upcoming BARMM polls extends beyond institutionalizing a regional assembly or installing new officials, framing the vote as a platform for systemic governance reforms.
“We should use these (BARMM elections) as a reform movement. We are moving into a system that will discourage one-man rule. In exchange, we have the assembly or parliament. We would like to see a strong bureaucracy, coupled with a strong party system,” the Muslim scholar noted.
“We have 13 parties vying for seats in the parliament. That is a good sign that we are finally realizing that a party system can work,” Mastura observed.
“Voting will be done to select parties that will have seats in the parliament. The more seats you have, the more you will be qualified to form the government of the day. I think the way is a coalition government,” he explained.
The September 14 election represents a historic milestone in a peace process spanning five decades of negotiations, armed conflict, political shifts and constitutional challenges aimed at achieving a peaceful settlement in Southern Philippines.
The foundational Tripoli Agreement was signed on December 23, 1976, during the administration of President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., with facilitation from Libya and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) between the Philippine government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
Subsequent talks led to the 1996 Final Peace Agreement under President Fidel V. Ramos, while separate negotiations with the MILF resulted in the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, laying the groundwork for the creation of BARMM.
Under President Marcos Jr., the administration has advanced both the political and normalization tracks, facilitating the MILF’s operational shift toward parliamentary democracy.
To ensure an orderly process, President Marcos directed security and law enforcement agencies to maintain a peaceful, credible, and free election environment, authorizing the deputation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to assist the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
The President also declared September 14 a special non-working day across BARMM to enable Bangsamoro voters to exercise their right to vote.
Speaking at the launch of the 2026 National Peace Consciousness Month, President Marcos highlighted that the vote offers an opportunity to cement democratic institutions and preserve long-term peace gains.
“Let this election show that the future of the Bangsamoro is shaped by the people themselves: through your voices, your choices, and your hopes for your respective communities,” President Marcos declared.