Last February 20, the Maute group attacked the base of the Army's 51st Infantry Battalion in Butig town, Lanao del Sur.
Peace in Mindanao is still one of the major challenges the next president has to face.
None other than Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Deles admits, the failure of the 16th Congress to pass the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) could provoke extremism in Mindanao.
In a statement on Thursday (March 3), Deles said: “The huge disappointment over the non-passage of the BBL provides more enticing, fertile ground for recruitment to radical, extremist thought and action.”
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leadership has earlier confirmed the inclination of some Bangsamoro youth toward extremism, even commencing recruitment of young people in organizations that have declared allegiance with international terrorist ISIS operating within Mindanao.
MILF Vice Chairman for Political Affairs Ghadzali Jafaar in a statement on Tuesday (March 2) admits, “[T]he division among the Bangsamoro people into different groups may have triggered the non-passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law in the House of Representatives.”
In an earlier event held in Davao City, Jaafar said that the Bangsamoro youth would be instrumental in realizing the Bangsamoro aspiration for genuine autonomy and self-determination.
“The goal of the Bangsamoro youth now should be to unite and to be at the forefront in realizing the aspiration of the Bangsamoro people to self-determination.”
Nevertheless, Jaafar expressed “high hopes for the Bangsamoro youth to serve their people someday and to become good Bangsamoro leaders.”
Speaking directly to the youth, Jaafar said they “should exhaust all means of diplomacy in fighting for the Bangsamoro struggle before thinking of engaging ideas of war.”
Also read: Butig clashes: AFP confirms soldier beheaded by Maute group
Extremists using BBL to recruit?
According to Philippine Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade commander Col. Roseller Murillo, the terrorist Maute group possibly used the failure to pass the BBL to recruit new members.“Kung ikaw yung propagandist nung kabila you will use that ‘di ba? That’s your reason, you can use it to view them na ganon,” Murillo said in an interview with CNN Philippines.[Translation: If you are the propagandist of the other side, you will use that right? That’s your reason, you can use it to get sympathizers that would have the same view.]
He said the Maute group has been recruiting mostly young people.
"The fact that yung target nila are minors delikado yun because 'di ba pag bata madaling madali iconvince," said Murillo. [Translation: The fact that they're targeting minors is dangerous, because young people can be easily convinced.]
On Tuesday (March 1), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) raised the Philippine flag in Butig — a sign of normalcy after over a week of firefight with the Maute group.
Also read: Butig clashes: What we know so far
Murillo said around 7,800 individuals were displaced because of the clash. He said a number of evacuees went to relatives and families in nearby areas.
Meanwhile, Deles said authorities are working closely to maintain peace and order on the ground, including curbing the spread of extremism.
“Specific to the on-going law enforcement operations, the ceasefire mechanisms have repositioned MILF troops to allow law enforcement operations to proceed and have provided sanctuary to displaced civilians with services coming from the DSWD and the ARMM government.”
Deles added, the peace panel hopes and continues to work to make sure that the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) successfully crosses over to the next administration.
http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2016/03/03/disappointment-over-non-passage-bbl-extremism-terrorism-mindanao-armm-bangsamoro.html
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