The Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have signed a peace plan they agreed earlier this month.
The deal was signed by representatives of both parties and witnessed bythe Philippine president, Benigno Aquino, and the leader of MILF, Murad Ebrahim.
The deal will see the establishment of an autonomous region in the Muslim-majority south of the country.
The agreement stipulates that the leaders of the new autonomous region, named Bangsamoro, would be given more political and economic powers and that law enforcement would gradually be transferred back to the police, after decades of army policing.
"The Parties recognize Bangsamoro identity." the peace plan further stated.
Those who at the time of conquest and colonization were considered natives or original inhabitants of Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago and its adjacent islands including Palawan, and their descendants whether of mixed or of full blood shall have the right to identify themselves as Bangsamoro by ascription or self-ascription."
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