2nd Mech security force remains vigilant in maintaining peace to Lanao del Norte

From the Philippine Information Agency (Feb 8): 2nd Mech security force remains vigilant in maintaining peace to Lanao del Norte

The 2nd Mechanized Brigade of the Philippine Army has brought the attention of the ceasefire and various peace mechanisms in Lanao del Norte to compel Abdullah Macapaar aka Bravo to return to his base in Lanao del Sur as soon as possible.

Commander Bravo, leads the Moro Islamic Liberation Front 303rd Brigade, a breakaway group from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

Bravo now leads the North-Western Mindanao Front operating in Lanao, Misamis and Bukidnon.

Col Gilbert I Gapay, 2nd Mechanized brigade commander, requested the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) to convince Bravo and his group to leave the area because their continuous presence in barangay Tamparan, Munai, Lanao del Norte is unauthorized and not coordinated with the government security forces.

The only coordinated movement of aka Bravo as approved by the CCCH was his visit in barangay Pangao, Munai and barangay Delabayan, Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte, purposely to attend “Tibao” (wake) of his deceased relatives from January 30-31, 2016, afterwhich, Bravo should have returned to his base in Lanao del Sur.

However, aka Bravo and his group still remain in the area until now.Bravo’s reason for still staying in the area is the visit of the Joint Normalization Committee (JNC) and Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB) in Munai, Lanao del Norte, to discuss socio-economic development projects for MILF communities.

However, when verified with CCCH, there is no scheduled visit of the JNC and IDB in Lanao del Norte which Bravo expects anytime soon.

Bravo added that he would not disturb the peace and order experienced by the community, but his actions prove otherwise and instead had caused alarm among the local populace.

His group is now fortifying MILF communities in barangays Pangao and Tamparan, this province.

Massive movements of MILF armed groups were also monitored and MILF forces of North Western Mindanao Front were converging in barangay Tamparan.

Bravo is also demanding financial and in-kind support from the populace.

All of these actions constitute deliberate and blatant violations of the ceasefire agreement.

Col Gapay assured that the military will exhaust all peaceful means to normalize the situation.

Nonetheless, the government security forces in the area remain vigilant and ready to respond to any eventualities that may arise from the continued unauthorized presence of Bravo in Lanao del Norte.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1511454995279/2nd-mech-security-force-remains-vigilant-in-maintaining-peace-to-lanaonorte-