BAUKO, Mountain Province – The Cordillera Bodong Administration (CBA) during a meeting of elders and government leaders called a special congress and endorsed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) it and the Cordillera People's Liberation Army (CPLA) entered into with the government last July.
The agreement officially puts an end to the armed struggle being waged by a splinter group of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Northern Luzon.
The meeting was held during the 25th anniversary of the first peace agreement in the history of the country's peace process.
In 1986, the Cordillera Bodong Administration-Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CBA-CPLA) led by Father Conrado Balweg acceded to the call of peace by the late President Corazon Aquino through the forging of a “sipat” (peace deal) at Mt. Data Hotel in this small town.
CPLA chairman Arsenio Humiding with Cordillera Bodong Association (CBA) president Marcelina Bahatan presided over ceremonies at the hotel dubbed “Inom-Galigad” towards the fulfillment of the Mt. Data Sipat.
Over 340 CBA members and CPLA representatives were present in the event.
Mayor Gabino Ganggangan and Governor Leonard Mayaen were also present in the meeting to back the MOA signed by President Benigno Aquino III.
Humiding faced CBA and CPLA members to answer questions on the MOA and closure agreement in a bid for members to accept the closure pact and move on with the peace agreement.
As part of the agreement, community development and livelihood projects will be implemented in 57 identified communities from 23 municipalities in the six provinces of the Cordillera in the next two years.
