Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao—After almost five decades of fighting, a new band of brothers has been formed through the Joint Peace and Security Team (JPST) who are now considered the security team as the decommissioning process began in this town on Sept. 7.
The JPST is a combined force of the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (BIAF-MILF). Some 156 former MILF combatants who have undergone basic military training will be part of five teams of 75 members each.
The JPST have their first security detail at the old capitol compound in Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, for the first batch of decommissioning process of 1,060 former MILF combatants.
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The JPST and the decommissioning process are part of the normalization mechanism agreed by both MILF and the government of the Philippines peace panel authored by former military officer and now BARMM Minister of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), Dickson P. Hermoso and MILF spokesperson Von Al Haq. Both of them are co-chair of Joint Peace and Security Committee (JPSC) GPH-MILF respectively.
“The JSPC coordinates with the two parties’ command structures on security arrangements relevant to its functions. We also develop policies and operational guidelines for the effective conduct of the decommissioning process” said Hermoso.
MILF Chairman Murad Ebrahim who is the interim chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao led his former combatants in the ceremonial turnover of the armaments with a special token to President Rodrigo R. Duterte as a symbol of President’s strong political will to implement the peace agreement signed in 2014.
“I would like to emphasize that we have not given up what we used to fight for. It is simply to demonstrate our full commitment to fulfilling our obligations and responsibility in the peace agreement we signed with the government,” Ibrahim said.
As part of the peace process which was ratified into Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), 1,060 former MILF combatants voluntarily turned over 920 high-powered firearms including 60mm and 81mm mortars; 7 crew-mounted M2 Browning caliber 50 machine guns; and 500 RPG rocket launchers to the International Decommissioning Body (IDB).
“Decommissioning is the first step in achieving our goal to return our combatants to civilian but productive life,” Murad added.
Duterte underscored the significance of the decommissioning process in the national government’s overall peace-building efforts in Mindanao.
“Do not be sad that your turned over your arms to the government because you are now the government. The government is yours, we have given it to you” Duterte said as he addressed the former MILF combatants in Filipino.
Out of 1,060 decommissioned MILF combatants, 106 were members the Bangsamoro Islamic Women Auxiliary Brigade (BIWAB) of the BIAF-MILF.
As promised the government handed P100,000 cash to each decommissioned former MILF combatant intended for the scholarships and other socio-economic benefits for their family and community.
Fourteen members of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) on Saturday voluntarily surrendered to military and local officials here hoping to live normal lives.
Lt. Col. Elmer M. Boongaling, the commander of the Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion (33IB), said the surrender came after they initiated talks with one of the factions of the BIFF operating in Sultan sa Barongis, Maguindanao.
A sub-leader of the BIFF and 13 of his men responded positively to the Army’s peace and development advocacy program, he said.
The group turned in three rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launchers, two M16 Armalite rifles, a .45-caliber pistol, an M14 rifle, one 9mm Uzi submachine pistol, and one homemade .50-caliber Barrett sniper’s rifle to Boongaling and 601st Army Brigade commander, Col. Jose Narciso during the turnover ceremony.
“I have been a rebel since 1972 and being so did not give me and my family any good, I am looking forward to the future of my children,” said the former BIFF commander who requested anonymity for security reasons.
“The BARMM is in place, I and my men now believe we no longer have reasons to rebel against the government,” he said referring to the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
“The 33IB is always open to any rebel who wishes to embrace peace,” Boongaling said.
“We are ready to talk peace to all enemies of the state for the sake of their children and families.”
Narciso lauded the rebels for choosing the path on returning to the mainstream society.
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