CAMP BILAL, LANAO DEL NORTE — As part of its efforts to sustain the gains of the Bangsamoro peace process, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU), through the Government of the Philippines – Peace Implementing Panel (GPH-PIP), visited this sprawling Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) camp here.

The visit held by the GPH-PIP in six government-acknowledged MILF camps aims to ensure the continued implementation of peacebuilding and development interventions under the Normalization Program of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB)

Dir. Ishmael Bahjin, head of the GPH Peace Panel’s Political Concerns Office, explained that the visits are part of the confidence-building measures being carried out by the national government under the Normalization Program, as he emphasized that they are also an opportunity for “a discussion [on] the betterment and development of our peace process.”

Two hundred grocery packs and school supplies from the Office of Member of Parliament Baintan Ampatuan were also distributed to MILF members and their families during the visit.

“Namamahagi kami ng mga konting tulong sa pamamagitan ng mga grocery packs na ito bilang simbolo na rin ng confidence building namin at sa pag-maintain ng magandang relationship ng government at ng MILF,” Bahjin said.

Security remains a top priority

In providing updates on the Normalization program, Bahjin shared that 7,200 out of the 14,000 MILF combatants under Phase 3 have already been decommissioned.

Meanwhile, the GPH and MILF Peace Implementing Panels have already agreed to resume Phase 3 this September.

Bahjin also reported that under the National Task Force on Disbandment of Private Armed Groups (NTF-DPAGs), 15 private armed groups in the region have been disbanded.

Bahjin also lauded the 7,145 or 64.77% members of MILF and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) who successfully passed the National Police Commission’s (NAPOLCOM) Special Qualifying Eligibility Examination (NSQE) held last May 29, 2022 in the cities of Cotabato and Lamitan.

“So, pag maipasa na po nila ang mga susunod na examinations ng PNP tulad ng physical and psychological exams, magkakaroon na tayo ng mga MILF at MNLF members na kasama na ngayon sa Philippine National Police at matutupad na ‘yung hindi lamang ang nasa peace agreements [kundi] pati na din ‘yung Bangsamoro Organic Law na papasok ang MILF, MNLF members dito sa PNP,” he said.

Completion of the implementation of all signed peace agreements

The Marcos Administration is determined to ensure the completion of all signed Bangsamoro peace agreements, which will be the key in successfully transforming former combatants and their families into peaceful and productive individuals

Under the political track of the CAB, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed the 80 members of the BTA, the interim Bangsamoro government, which remains to be MILF-led.

Among the reappointed MPs is Camp Bilal Commander Abdullah “Bravo” Macapaar, who commended Sec. Carlito G. Galvez Jr. for leading the implementation of peacebuilding and development initiatives in MILF communities in Lanao.

Macapaar also lauded President Marcos for his “invaluable support to the Bangsamoro” saying, “Kung walang peace, walang development.”

Meanwhile, Col. Charlemagne Batayola of the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade gave the assurance that the security sector remains “an ally of peace in all undertakings of the government in integrating the implementation of the comprehensive peace process.”

Others who joined the camp visit were Ltc. Marlon Famoso, commander of the 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion; Major Rudy Matrinan, S7 of the 2nd Mechanized Brigade; MILF Alim Isah Bato, deputy front commander of the North Western Mindanao Front; Joint Task Force for Camps Transformation (JTFCT) Camp Coordinator and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Public Works BARMM Engr. Abdulmaomit Tomawis; and JTFCT Camp Coordinators Ayobkhan Usman, Mujtaba Macapaar, and Saidali Hadji Salic.###