NoyNoy to give out cash-for-arms
In a ceremony President Aquino will officiate himself, the purported decommissioning of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) weapons scheduled tomorrow will cost the government a hefty P950 million which includes P25,000 for each surrendered arm and PhilHealth cards for each of the initial 145 MILF members who are also guaranteed to be taken in under the Bangsamoro Integrated Armed Force (BIAF).
Initially, the MILF sought the approval of the BBL as a condition for the decommissioning process but it had lately agreed to the surrender of arms prior to the disbanding of the MILF rebel commands.
The Palace
said the cash-for-arms ceremony tomorrow will be a demonstration of MILF’s
commitment to achieving lasting peace in Mindanao .
Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said the MILF is set to turnover their firearms to the government decommissioning body.
Coloma said the decommissioning process is an important part of the annex on normalization in the peace agreement signed between the government and the MILF in January last year.
“President Aquino will bear witness to the initial part of the decommissioning process that is seen as a strong expression of support and commitment of the MILF in pushing for the peace process that will deliver peace and prosperity in the area within the Bangsamoro,” Coloma said.
Aside from the cash assistance and PhilHealth Cards, “other medium to long-term livelihood assistance will be provided by the Task Force on Decommissioned Combatants and Communities,” Coloma said.
The normalization process, according to the Palace official, has three parts, namely security, socioeconomic development and transitional justice and reconciliation.
“This process seeks to give members of the MILF opportunity to work and live in peace, far from violence. The decommissioning is pushed alongside other agreements between the government and the MILF,” Coloma said.
Government peace negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said phase 1 of the process will begin with the ceremonial turnover of 55 high-powered and 20 crew-serve weapons, and the decommissioning of 145 members of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces.
Crew-serve weapons refer to weapon systems that require more than one individual for it to function at optimum efficiency, usually needing one person to load and another person to fire, such as medium and heavy machine guns.
She said the firearms will be turned over to the Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB), while decommissioned combatants will undergo a registration, verification, and validation process, after which they will be provided immediate cash assistance amounting to P25,000 and PhilHealth cards.
“The President himself will be the guest of honor during the event and we are inviting our esteemed lawmakers from the House of Representatives and the Senate to join us and witness the commitment of both Parties to put an end to the armed conflict,” Ferrer said.
MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal described the decommissioning process as “very difficult” but noted that the MILF has committed to “undertake the ultimate sacrifice.”
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos Deles has noted that the decommissioning process the MILF is set to undergo is unprecedented, as it was not done during the earlier peace agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
“We’ve never had an armed organization that has been fighting with government as an organization voluntarily—in partnership with the government—turn over weapons,” Deles said.
Medium- to long-term socio economic interventions for the combatants will be handled by the Task Force on Decommissioned Combatants and Communities.
The normalization process has three main components—security, socioeconomic development, and transitional justice and reconciliation—which are aimed at fostering peace in conflict-affected communities in
“Although it’s a ceremonial program, it signals something that took a long time to prepare both the hearts and minds of the people who are involved in this process,” she added.
Iqbal said even if the BBL is delayed, they will comply with the initial phase of the graduated decommissioning of MILF forces and their weapons.
“We will see to it that we will comply with our obligations. We have to undertake this whether the BBL is moving in Congress or not,” Iqbal said.
He added saying, “honestly there’s no other way but to have peace in
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) earlier alloted P9.94 billion under this year’s budget for “the peaceful settlement of armed conflict in the country.”
The amount was broken down into P2.69 billion for the Bangsamoro peace process and P7.25 billion for Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) reintegration program.
Some P950 million was alloted to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for immediate assistance under the reinsertion package for MILF members.
Decommissionining
doubts raised
A lawmaker from the House minority bloc identified with former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, however, expressed doubts about the sincerity of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in laying down their arms as provided for in the peace process.
Buhay Partylist Rep. Jose Lito Atienza said that the process could just be a “show” even as he noted that only 145 firearms are going to be surrendered by the MILF.
Atienza noted that the 145 firearms is miniscule compared to the 10,000 soldiers of the group.
“When would the decommissioning process end when only 145 would be surrendered? We’re running out of time,” Atienza said.
He urged the government peace panel to show to the Filipino people that they (peace panel) are on people’s side.
The partylist lawmaker also noted that there were 1000 MILF combatants that were involved in the massacre of 44 members of the Philippine National Police – Special Action Force on January 25, 2015.
Atienza said that the government peace panel should have insisted that the firearms used by the 1000 MILF men in the Mamasapano incident be surrendered in order for the people to realize that the government is indeed sincere in making peace in
President Aquino is expected to witness the first phase of the decommissioning process tomorrow (Tuesday) despite the failure of the House of Representatives to approve the proposed Basic Law on the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.
Former Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief-of-Staff and now Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon, said that the MILF should surrender all their firearms before candidates file their certificates of candidacy (COC).
“We expect them (MILF) to file their COC by October, that’s why they have to surrender their firearms,” Baizon, chairperson of the House Committee on National Defense and Security, said. He said that without surrendering their firearms the MILF would be campaigning with their firearms.
“Are we going to allow them to campaign with armed bodyguards? That should not be the case,”said Biazon.
Members of ad hoc panel said that the start if the decommissioning process is proof of a “strong commitment to end the armed conflict” in
“This is a very welcome development for me as a member of Congress tackling the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law and personally as a Mindanaonon,” Ad Hoc Committee Chair and Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said.
“The beginning of the decommissioning process is concrete proof of the strong commitment of the MILF to end armed conflict in the south,” Rodriguez added.
Ad Hoc Committee vice-chair and Misamis Occidental Rep. Henry Oaminal similarly welcomed the commencement of the decommissioning process, noting that the decommissioning of heavy weaponry and 145 MILF members clearly establishes the commitment of the Moro group to pursue the peace agreement with the government despite a delay in the passage of the law creating the Bangsamoro region.
“There is perhaps no greater proof that the MILF is sincere in its efforts to begin peace-building with the government than this decision to voluntarily turn over their arms and weapons especially with the heated debates and the delay of the passing into law of the BBL,” Oaminal said.
A ceremonial turnover on June 16 of 55 high-powered and 20 crew-serve weapons and the decommissioning of 145 MILF combatants will formally begin Phase 1 of the process, the two peace panels announced jointly on Thursday.
Gradual decommissioning is part of the Annex on Normalization signed by the MILF and the government last January 2014. Firearms will be turned over to the Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB), while decommissioned combatants will serve as pioneers and help gauge the success rate of the normalization process.
The normalization process has three main components—security, socioeconomic development, and transitional justice and reconciliation—which are aimed at fostering peace in conflict-affected communities in
“We understand that this will be gradual, but we are confident there is no stopping the decommissioning process in the coming months,” Oaminal added.
“I hope that Congress moves with urgency on the proposed BBL because the decommissioning process will move much faster with the passage and ratification of the bill, and combatants on the ground will be able to return to civilian lives much sooner,” Oaminal explained.
Another Committee vice-chair, Sulu Rep. Tupay Loong, on the other hand, noted that the MILF’s decision to begin decommissioning is a clear message to both the Senate and the House of Representatives that it is a trustworthy partner in the Bangsamoro peace process.
“We should all understand the security situation,” Loong said. “There are still other armed groups with weapons on the ground, yet the MILF is already willing to begin decommissioning for the sake of peace in
“I appeal to my colleagues in the House and the Senate, especially to Senator Bongbong Marcos, to pass the BBL in the soonest possible time as this is the foundation in the roadmap to peace. We cannot move forward and bring the peace that our people desire and deserve without passing the BBL,” Loong said.
“I also call on the people’s support in building a Bangsamoro that is our best chance for enhanced peace and security in
http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/p25k-for-each-milf-gun-p950m-for-decommissioning
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