AFP lauds power sharing agreement deal signed by GPH, MILF

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 9): AFP lauds power sharing agreement deal signed by GPH, MILF
 
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has lauded the Sunday signing of the power sharing agreement between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Government of the Philippines (GPH).

"It is a welcome development towards the peace initiatives of the government and for the AFP also because this will bring one part of our internal security operation closure at the MILF. We can now concentrate on other matters such as territorial defense and, which is very relevant, the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief which we need to also focus on ever changing climate that we're having," AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said.

He also hoped the following disarmament talks and other issues would threshed out successfully.

"(Everyone is) hoping for a peaceful resolution of our decades old internal security problem and I believe that everyone here has already have a taste since 2012 a life of peace in the area and that this life of peace may continue further with the finality of the peace agreement with the MILF and we are optimistic that all those who have tasted life of peace will want this to continue," the AFP public affairs office chief added.

The crucial power sharing annex signed in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday had been considered highly contentious, with MILF seeking greater authority over a proposed autonomous region in the south which will cover Muslim-dominated regions of the mainly-Catholic archipelago.

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