Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos
Deles and Government of the Philippines peace panel chair Prof. Miriam
Coronel-Ferrer on Wednesday welcomed the gesture of the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front to return the weapons of the Philippine National Police-Special Action
Force (PNP-SAF) taken from the tragic incident in Mamasapano last January 25,
which claimed nearly 70 lives from all sides, including civilians.
“We receive with appreciation a gesture of goodwill we have
sought from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front,” Deles said in a simple ceremony
held at Camp Brig. Gen. Gonzalo Siongco in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao,
where the MILF presented SAF firearms retrieved through the joint efforts of
the GPH and MILF ceasefire mechanisms.
The weapons will then be transported via a C130 plane to Manila , where it will be
formally turned over to the PNP.
“We accept this clear proof of the trust and goodwill that
has already been built in the Bangsamoro peace process. We accept this clear
signal of the willingness and determination of the MILF to sustain our precious
gains,” she added.
Ferrer, on the other hand, commended the MILF for deciding
to return the firearms as proof of its commitment to the peace process instead
of claiming it as spoils of war.
“Sa kabila ng pagyanig ng trahedya ng Mamasapano, bagamat
nagkaron ng lamat ang ceasefire, eto pa rin tayo (Despite the tragedy in
Mamasapano, despite the breach of our ceasefire, we are still here),” Ferrer
said. “Ang pamahalaan at MILF na patuloy na naniniwala sa prosesong
pangkapayapaan (Both the government and the MILF continue to believe in the
peace process).”
“We assure everybody that the MILF is a partner of peace in Mindanao ,” Ferrer’s counterpart and MILF peace panel
chair Mohagher Iqbal said.
“We are willing to travel the extra mile so the peace
process will proceed,” Iqbal asserted. “Sa kapayapaan po tayo magbe-benefit.
Pero sa giyera, lahat tayo talo (It is in peace that we benefit. In war we all
lose).”
“Mahalaga na magpatuloy ang prosesong pangkapayapaan (it is
important for the peace process to continue),” Ferrer noted.
Sixteen and a half SAF weapons were retrieved, verified, and
presented by the MILF in the presence of representatives from both sides.
Instrumental in the retrieval of weapons are the Joint
Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities and the International
Monitoring Team.
The GPH CCCH is headed by BGen. Carlito Galvez with
Secretariat head Dir. Carlos Sol. The MILF CCCH is headed by Rashid Ladiasan.
Meanwhile, the IMT team is led by Malaysian head of mission
MGen Dato' Abdul Samad Bin HJ Yaakub and joined by IMT member, Norwegian
William Hovland.
"We thank the joint CCCH who have again showed us how
robust our ceasefire mechanisms are. We also thank our brave and committed
partners in the IMT for the important role they have played in installing the
ceasefire on that fateful Sunday... to the rescue of the victims and now as the
third party witness in the verification of the retrieved weapons that shall be
returned to the PNP SAF," she added.
Witnessing the presentation of retrieved weapons were GPH
peace panel member Senen Bacani, Joint Normalization Committee co-chair
Muhammad Nassif, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Regional Governor Mujiv
Hataman, International Monitoring Team Head of Mission Armed Forces of the
Philippines Chief of Staff Gregorio Catapang Jr., AFP Western Mindanao Command
Chief Gen. Rustico Guerrero, Philippine Army 6th Infantry Battalion Commander
Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan and PNP ARMM OIC Senior Superintendent Noel Armilla.
Armilla lauded the gesture of the MILF. "Tinawagan ko
kanina si (PNP OIC) Deputy Director Gen. Espina at ipinaalam ko ang nangyaring
ito at ipinapaabot nya sa leadership ng MILF ang kanyang pasasalamat (I called
up [PNP OIC] Deputy Director Gen. Espina to inform him of this event and he
wanted me to extend his appreciation to the leadership of the MILF)," he
said.
“This is a very fitting gesture,” Catapang said, while also
thanking the MILF for “going the extra mile to jumpstart our efforts to win the
peace in Mindanao ,” he added.
Peace process disrupted but not beaten back. “You must
understand how we feel as soldiers wanting to win the peace, to claim the peace
for our country,” Catapang said. “This is an unfortunate event, but it should
not deter us from claiming the peace for our country.”
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor Mujiv Hataman
similarly sounded the call for the continuation of the peace process despite
the tragedy.
“Pinatunayan ng both panels ang kanilang katapatan na dapat
magkaroon ng kapayapaan (Both panels have shown they are sincere in aspiring
for peace),” Hataman said.
Deles also expressed hope that the public will be able to
appreciate the move of the MILF to return the SAF firearms it retrieved and
presented in Maguindanao.
“I hope and pray that our leaders and our people will
understand and appreciate the meaning of this event, work with us to heal the
wounds and move forward,” Deles said. "Our grief has been palpable as we
mourned the loss of so many in a single day-- government enforcers, rebel group
members and civilians -- all Filipinos and brothers and sisters to us all."
“The peace process has been disrupted but not beaten back,”
Deles affirmed. “Together with our peace partners we will forge ahead.
Mamasapano must be turned from a battleground to a haven for peace.”
“Let us stand for peace and reclaim the birthright of
countless generations of Filipinos yet unborn, of a country united in a just
and lasting peace,” she added.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=737032
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