Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Vice Chairman Ghazali Jaafar died at 75 years old today, the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) announced in a Facebook post this morning.
“BTC Chairman and 1st Vice Chairman of the MILF, Ghazali Jaafar returned to Allah around 1AM today, March 13, 2019. May Allah reward him for his good deeds and grant him a place in Jannah,” the BTC’s post reads.
Jaafar died at 1am today after being admitted to the Metro Davao Medical and Research Center in Davao City when he experienced abdominal pain earlier this week, multiple reports state. He had been suffering from various medical complications.
MILF chairman Murad Ebrahim told ABS-CBN News that Jaafar was diagnosed with a kidney problem. Jaafar also revealed last year that he underwent an angioplasty.
Murad told CNN Philippines that Jaafar’s body is going to be moved from Davao City to Sultan Kudarat.
“As with traditional Muslim practice, there will be a gathering to express our condolence to the family and this will be done today until three days,” he said.
Jaafar was the first chair for the MILF’s peace panel and took part in peace talks as early as 1997. Under their peace deal is the formation of an autonomous region for the Muslim-majority southern Philippines.
He was also the Chairman of the BTC, the group tasked to draft the Bangsamoro Basic Law, later called the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL). Jaafar’s death comes just a month after the BOL was officially ratified after a plebiscite in Muslim Mindanao.
The landmark law established the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), which now comprises of former members of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Cotabato City, and parts of North Cotabato and Lanao del Norte. The BARMM is meant to be more powerful than the ARMM in terms of decision-making, tax share, and resources.
Jaafar was also part of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, which will serve as the BARMM’s government from 2019 – 2022.
Some public figures have taken to social media to mourn the Muslim leader’s death. This includes Senator Sonny Angara who called Jaafar an “architect of peace.”
“Sad to hear of passing of MILF Vice Chair Ghazali Jaafar, an architect of peace and the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region/BOL. RestInPeace,” he wrote.
https://twitter.com/sonnyangara/status/1105624593492959233
Senator JV Ejercito called Jaafar’s death “sad news.”
“With my deepest sympathies to Vice Chair Ghazali Jaafar whom I have talked to a lot during BOL deliberations. He together with Chair Murad welcomed me in Camp Darapanan which I will never forget. Again my deepest sympathies on his passing.”
This is sad news. With my deepest sympathies to Vice Chair Ghazali Jaafar whom I have talked to a lot during BOL deliberations.
He together with Chair Murad welcomed me in Camp Darapanan which I will never forget.
Again my deepest sympathies on his passing. https://t.co/CNnYWDaOBZ
— JV Ejercito (@jvejercito) March 12, 2019
ABS-CBN News anchor Karen Davila also shared a photo of herself with Jaafar and shared a moment they shared last year.
“I saw him last January at the ANC studio after he was interviewed by Christian. We briefly talked about his health, even if he felt weak, until the end – he fought for peace,” she said.
https://twitter.com/iamkarendavila/status/1105609274019897344
