Philippines signs long-awaited peace deal with rebels

The Philippine government and the country’s largest Muslim group have signed a landmark peace deal after 17 years of negotiations.

The deal between the government of President Benigno Aquino and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was signed at the presidential palace in the capital Manila.

President Aquino and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak smiled and clapped as peace panel leaders signed the autonomy deal.

“Let us exchange our bullets for ripening fruit, our cynicism for hope, our histories of sorrow for a future of harmony, peace, and prosperity,” Aquino told a gathering of officials, diplomats, lawmakers and Muslim community members, adding, “I will not let peace be snatched from my people again.”

Malaysia, which has facilitated the peace talks since 2001, pledged its continued support.

“Much work remains, and there will be setbacks along the way,” Premier Najib said, he also noted,”But the commitment to peace – the commitment I see in this room today – must not waver.”

The group has called it an achievement of a lifetime.

The decades-old fighting has killed at least 120,000 people and left millions more displaced over the past few decades. The fight against MILF separatists and Maoist guerrillas for almost five decades has also stunted growth in resource-rich rural areas.

The deal will create the Bang-samoro autonomous region with its own budget and security apparatus.

A small group of leftists held protest rallies as the event was taking place.