Bantay Bayanihan launched in Basilan

From the Philippine Information Agency (Mar 25): Bantay Bayanihan launched in Basilan

ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Mar 25 (PIA) -- The civil society group in Basilan launched recently the Bantay Bayanihan (BB) to ensure the Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) Bayanihan of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is being implemented in accordance with its guidelines.

Miriam L. Suacito, executive director of Nagdilaab Foundation said, “The IPSP signifies the intent of the AFP to draw support and increase involvement of multi-stakeholders in all levels in addressing peace and security concerns.”

The IPSP is the security sector’s commitment to attaining quality and progressive life for the Filipino people as a partner in peace and development.

“In Basilan, the IPSP partners had been doing efforts toward realizing the intended goal, which is lasting peace and development through the collaborative efforts of civil society, government line agencies and security sector,” Suacito stressed.

The conveners of the oversight group in Basilan, decided to launch the BB last March 5 during the duration of the Pakaradjaan Festival, were the Nagdilaab Foundation Inc. and the Bapesda (Basilan Advocates for Peace, Environment, and Sustainable Development Association).

Ribi Daño, representative of the national secretariat said, "The BB is a civil-society-led oversight body that will monitor the implementation of IPSP. It is an initiative that aims to create an oversight body over the armed forces, including defense and security policies (strategic, tactical and operational levels).”

The BB is envisioned to be a dialogue space that brings together civil society organizations, the academe, civilian government units (whose services have direct bearing on conflict formation and peace building), and the AFP.

“There’s a national secretariat that serves as the working group on security sector reform, a research unit under the Department of Political Science of Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU),” Daño said.

She added the secretariat serves as the communication channel and liaison between and among chapters from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Also, it serves as the agenda-setter during national meetings of the group.

“The nature of engagement is constructive, but critical in the sense that we are an oversight; we have a tool for monitoring the assessment of the implementation of the IPSP, but at the same time constructive because we know that we are part of the solution. We criticize but at the same time we give recommendation,” she explained.

She also revealed that an annual assessment will be held this coming June to present the results of the assessment matrix crafted by the Bantay Bayanihan to the civil society organizations.

The security sector reform research unit of AdMU is expected to publish its results and findings, have a book launch, and do some policy recommendations to legislators.

“Bantay Bayanihan is already an institutional partnership between the CSOs and the AFP,” Daño further said.

As to the impression about Basilan, she said “When one is not from Basilan, the impression is that the place is dangerous and that one should have to coordinate his movements with the authorities. But surprisingly it’s just like Batangas, just like I am having a vacation here,” she observed, noting further that the CSOs in Basilan are very passionate about fighting for peace and development in the province.

Regional convener, Dr. Grace Rebollos of Peace Advocates Zamboanga (PAZ) presented the concept of the Bantay Bayanihan. The security sectors—the AFP and the police—also presented their security strategies and programs in winning peace in the province.

104th Brigade Commander Col. Carlito Galvez said “the military is studying the dynamics of the different areas where it operates as basis for their strategic approach in addressing security concerns in the area.

He also observed that “the people of Basilan are already saying NO to war and are thirsting for development projects.”

He said that security concerns should be resolved in as peaceful way as possible with the support of the peace and order councils in the area.

Security Sector Reform means transforming the security sector/system, which includes all the actors, their roles, responsibilities and actions—working together to manage and operate the system in a manner that is more consistent with democratic norms and sound principles of good governance, and thus contributes to a well-functioning security framework.

The groups that form the security sector are: the armed forces, the police, Intelligence, Border Management Services, and the supporting institutions—oversight bodies such as Congress, justice and penal systems, non-statutory security forces and civil society groups.

A core objective of Security Sector Reform is to reform the security sector institutions so that they are transparent, respectful of the rule of law and human rights, and accountable to democratic civilian authority, such as the parliament and the justice system. Hence, it is an important component of peace-building, democratization, and development.

http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1421364029917