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Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) partner, the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy (PCID) launched a publication, Voices of Dissent: A Postscript to the MOA-AD Decision, last September 11, 2009 at the Powerbooks Megamall.

The book features essays written by noted Muslim peace advocates as well as non-Muslim legal scholars that present contrary views to the Supreme Court decision declaring the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) unconstitutional.

It will be recalled that after the high court declared the MOA-AD “contrary to law and the Constitution” on October 14, 2008 two motions for reconsiderations were filed by the Muslim Legal Assistance Foundation, Inc (MUSLAF) and the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS) together with the Bangsamoro Women Solidarity Forum, Inc. (BWSF). Atty. Nasser Marohomsalic and Atty. Soliman Santos, Jr. summarize the contentions of the two motions in the book.

While the motions were summarily denied with finality on November 11, 2008, PCID Lead Convenor Amina Rasul argued that there is a need to “document the dissent of peace advocates as well as present the perspectives contrary to the pronouncement of the Supreme Court.”

“We cannot allow the dissenting voices of the Bangsamoro to be relegated to the dustbin of history,” said Rasul, who served in the Cabinet of Pres. Fidel Ramos. Atty. Santos, who said that he was honored to be at the “losing side” of the MOA-AD debate, explained that “dissent here represents a counter-consciousness that will eventually achieve its critical mass in the bar of jurisprudence, in the bar of political and policy decision-making, and in the bar of public opinion.”

For his part, KAS Country Representative Mr. Klaus Preschle noted that the MOA-AD is a most relevant resource document for any future peace negotiations because while the document was declared unconstitutional “it carries along with it many principles that will be needed to establish lasting peace in Mindanao."

The book’s other contributors include: Atty. Marohomsalic, Atty. Santos, Atty. Michael Mastura, Fr. Joaquin Bernas, Atty. Sedfrey Candelaria, Amina Rasul, and Fr. Jun Mercado. The Konrad Adenauer Stiftung supported the publication of the book.