OPAPP: Independent body should be in-charge of MILF members' decommissioning

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 13): OPAPP: Independent body should be in-charge of MILF members' decommissioning

The decommissioning of weapons of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is not included and spelled out in the basic law that will create the Bangsamoro entity to shield the process from political interference.

This was the statement of Undersecretary Jose Lorena of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) citing it is imperative to place the decommissioning function and responsibility in the hands of international experts rather than the autonomous government through the Basic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BLBAR).

“Unang-una sinabi ko na na ang decommissioning is done generally in many decommissioning all over the world by experts and that does not require legislation because that can be effectively done even by the executive. So ang una, in a negotiation, you need a neutral body. Because it cannot be one-sided, only government. That is why you have to select a neutral body, usually a foreign one to assist in the decommissioning, and you do not like also to politicize. It is the very reason that decommissioning in many cases was not included in legislation,” Lorena said.

Lorena also said the decommissioning will start June 16 even prior to the enactment into law of the BBL or its final version of the Congress.

He said the MILF would turn over to the Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB) 75 high-powered and crew-served weapons.

The IDB will store the weapons in a secure facility and later render them beyond used.

MILF members who turn in their weapons will receive cash, health, and livelihood assistance.

The decommissioning will be phased parallel to the implementation of other agreements, including the disarming of other armed groups active in the autonomous region.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=772077