MANILA (Eagle News Service) – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) turned over its first batch of arms on Tuesday, June 16, as the first phase of the decommissioning program began, in ceremonies witnessed by President Aquino and foreign observers.
This aims to put the arms and forces of the rebel group beyond use as agreed by the Parties under the Annex on Normalization of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).
In simple ceremonies dubbed “Ceremonial Turnover of Weapons and Decommissioning of the MILF Combatants” held at the old provincial capitol in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, the MILF registered and turned in 75 of their weapons to the Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB).
Also, 145 Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) combatants were registered and processed to formally commence their return to full civilian lives.
MILF panel chair Mohagher Iqbal described the decommissioning process as “one of the most difficult decisions…[of the] MILF” but noted that “for the sake of peace, for the sake of having real peace in Mindanao and for the sake of the need for normalization [of] the lives of the people including the combatants, we have to undertake decommissioning and put them [arms and forces] beyond use.”
Legislators from both chambers of Congress, the international community, among others were invited to witness the historical event, which was held at the Old Maguindanao Provincial Capitol in Simuay Crossing, Sultan Kudarat.
The turnover ceremonies was attended by MILF Chair Murad Ebrahim, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos Deles, members of both peace panels and other stakeholders.
The IDB is headed by Turkey’s former ambassador to NATO, Haydar Berk. Its other members are Jan Erik Wilhemsen from Norway, Maj. Muhammad Aiman Syazwi Bin Haji Abdul Rahim from Brunei, and local experts, AFP ret. Lt. Gen. Rey Ardor, Dr. Mario Aguja, Von Al-Haq and Jannati Mimbantas.
GPH chief negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer noted that there will be several steps that will be followed during the decommissioning process on Tuesday.
“Prior to the actual decommissioning process, there will be an initial registration of MILF combatants and weapons at Camp Darapanan. The combatants will be filling out forms with the supervision of the IDB local expert from MILF,” she said.
After processing, the decommissioned weapons will be transported to a mutually agreed-upon Weapons Storage area located inside Camp Iranun (Abubakar) in Sitio Bombaran, Brgy. Tugaig in Barira, Maguindanao.
The secured area will be monitored by 30 members of the Joint Peace and Security Teams (JPST) who will be supervised by the Joint Verification and Monitoring Team (JVMT) ) of the IDB.
The JVMT is headed by a foreign, independent expert with a member each from the government and MILF. Three JVMTs will take turns administering the site round the clock.
Meanwhile, the JPST is made up of 15 members from the government army and police, and an equal number from the MILF. Teams of 10 JPST persons each will be on guard duty at all times.
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos Deles pushed for broad-based support for the Mindanao peace process saying that the Philippines is at a threshold of shared security and prosperity, up to the regional community, and perhaps the whole world (with a report from OPAPP)
