President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Mel Senen Sarmiento to concurrently serve as chairperson of the government’s peace implementing panel for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front peace process, Malacañang announced.

Sarmiento, who is already the presidential adviser on peace, reconciliation and unity, fills a leadership vacancy that recently prompted claims from the rebel group that the Bangsamoro peace process had been left in "limbo."

Presidential Communications Office Secretary Claire Castro announced the appointment during a press briefing.

The appointment follows calls from the MILF for the immediate designation of a new government panel chair after the resignation of the previous chairman, Cesar Yano.

In an editorial published on its official website, Luwaran.com, the MILF argued that the peace process had stalled because of government vacancies.

"The peace process is in limbo, not because of the MILF, but because the government has yet to ensure that its own implementing structure is functional," the editorial stated. The group also claimed that the landmark 2014 peace agreement was, "in practical terms, in a state of suspension" without a designated government counterpart.

With Sarmiento’s appointment, the government panel now has a formal leader to head the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, addressing the leadership gap cited by the MILF.

The political shift comes amid continuing challenges in the region, including concerns over trust between both parties and delays in implementing key commitments under the peace pact.

The Philippine government and the MILF signed the comprehensive peace agreement on 27 March 2014, concluding 17 years of negotiations. The accord paved the way for the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao following the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.