Maguindanao to be placed under WestMinCom

From Business World (Jan 11): Maguindanao to be placed under WestMinCom

Maguindanao province, which is known as a bailiwick of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), will soon be under the jurisdiction of the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) based here. Col. Rodrigo T. Gregorio, newly appointed spokesman of WestMinCom, said the transfer of the province from the jurisdiction of the Davao City-based Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) will take effect before the mid-term elections in May.  "This is to simplify command and control," he told BusinessWorld. The transfer of jurisdiction over Maguindanao was discussed after Major General Rey C. Ardo assumed the position as the chief of WestMinCom in October last year.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Ardo served as commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division in Maguindanao, which took charge of military operations against rebels in the area. Mr. Gregorio said there would be less movement of troops during the turnover process, noting the 6th Infantry Division in Maguindanao will maintain its position. Military officials said the change in area of responsibility is part of a strategy to effectively weed out armed groups while maintaining a ceasefire with the MILF. Mr. Ardo said the new measure is in preparation of the signing of the comprehensive compact agreement between the government and the MILF.

The agreement is expected to create a new Bangsamoro region, which will include Isabela City in Basilan, Cotabato City in Maguindanao, six municipalities in Lanao del Norte, and some villages in North Cotabato, in addition to the five provinces of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao namely, Basilan, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. He said the move would help ease the work of the two military commands in Mindanao. EastMinCom could focus on its anti communist insurgency campaign, which is active in the Davao Region, while the WestMinCom will continue to concentrate in running after radical groups and bandits in the southwestern areas, including the island provinces of Sulu and Basilan.

This is the same strategy when the defunct Southern Command (SouthCom) was divided into two creating what are now the WestMinCom and EastMinCom. The SouthCom, which is based in this city, was split on 2006 during the time of Gen. Hermogenes C. Esperon, the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines under the Arroyo administration.

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Nation&title=Maguindanao-to-be-placed-under-WestMinCom-&id=64147