MILF conducting orientation, not training in Iligan

From ABS-CBN (Mar 22): MILF conducting orientation, not training in Iligan

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) denied on Sunday allegations that they were training new fighters in Iligan City, following reports received by military last week.

The 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade said it received complaints that the MILF was recruiting members of the Higaonon and Maranao tribes to join them in a "training camp" in the city.

According to Ghadzali Jaafar, MILF vice chairman for political affairs, the group was only conducting orientations to educate stakeholders about the Bangsamoro Basic law (BBL).

“We are not training. The training that they may be saying could be the orientations we are conducting. We are giving orientation, education to them (stakeholders),” said Jaafar.

Col. Gilbert Gapay, 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade chief, earlier protested before the government’s Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) based on the complaint of the residents.

Gapay said the MILF training facility, which he said was put up by the MILF’s 103rd Base Command about two to three years ago, should be dismantled because the rebel activities in the area are threatening the peace in the community.

The chief of the government’s CCCH, Brig. Gen. Carlito Galvez, said coordination was already made with the MILF and with the International Monitoring Team for the conduct of a joint surprise inspection of the camp.

Jaafar explained that the MILF orientations are in keeping with the ceasefire agreement between the MILF and the government.

“There’s nothing wrong there,” said Jaafar, adding that the military should not oppose such orientations because these strengthen the ceasefire mechanisms.

Jaafar added that the orientations target MILF members, supporters, supporters and civilians.

“The orientation is general in nature, we discuss the status of the BBL, what kind of government is democracy, ministerial form of government, what will be the relations between Muslims and Christians under the Bangsamoro government, among others,” he said.

Told that Iligan City is not among the areas covered by the BBL, Jaafar said: “Yes, but we have Muslims there, there are MILF there. The more we need orientation for them because once the Bangsamoro government is already there, they are not going to be covered. They might be angered, that’s why we need to talk to them.”

Jaafar said the MILF camp where the orientations were conducted was established “a long time ago” but could not categorically say when.

“In a struggle, you establish a camp in one area if needed. That’s common and ordinary for a revolutionary organization,” he said.

On Gapay’s pronouncements that the military saw wooden rifles at the camp, indicating training was indeed being held in the area, Jaafar said: “That I do not know. But when conduct training, we do not use wooden rifles, we use real firearms.”

Jaafar also denied allegations by AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc last Friday that the MILF is offering five hectares of land, in case the BBL is passed, to potential recruits.

“We do not make a promise that they will be given such. Those entering the MILF, those who enlist, they do it voluntarily to fight for a sacred cause for the Bangsamoro,” he said.
 

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/03/22/15/milf-conducting-orientation-not-training-iligan