After the serious clashes occurred five days ago in Mindanao, in the southern Philippines, the negotiating table, which led to the signature of the Peace Agreement of last 27 March between the Philippine government and the MILF, immediately gathered in Kuala Lumpur to ensure that the process of normalisation in the country does not suffer any standstill.

Since the signing of the agreement, there had not been any more armed clashes and, in different ways, the people had expressed the popular will of peace. Even Pope Francis, in his recent visit to the Philippines, had encouraged the continuation of the peace process.

The Community of Sant'Egidio is an official member of the International Contact Group, an official organ of the peace negotiations, which collects some large international organizations and serves to facilitate and accompany the contacts between the parties.

These days, the delegate of the Community, Alberto Quattrucci, is participating in the talks in Malaysia, which see a strong desire by both the government in Manila and the representatives of the region of Mindanao (Bangsamoro), to overcome this bad accident, the causes of which are not clear and perhaps are unrelated to the peace process - and to resume the path of normalisation that everyone wants.

It is in this sense that one should read the joint statement issued yesterday, where both parties condemn the use of violence and undertake to implement security in the framework of the common goal of reconciliation.