Kidapawan mayor asks MNLF to stop recruitment of tribesmen in area

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 23): Kidapawan mayor asks MNLF to stop recruitment of tribesmen in area

KIDAPAWAN CITY -- The mayor here has urged members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) on Friday to cease from recruiting tribes’ people in remote villages of the city to join their organization.

Mayor Joseph Evangelista made the call after receiving reports from village officials of Barangay Junction and Sumbac that an MNLF group is conducting recruitment and training to villagers in the area.

Accordingly, a certain Datu Lito Monreal, who is maintaining an MNLF camp in adjacent Barangay Guangan, Makilala town, is leading the group.

“Their presence in the area is creating panic among local residents, particularly to those MNLF men with firearms,” Evangelista said.

The mayor said he has sent a validating team to the area, which in return, confirmed the recruitment activity.

In a letter, Evangelista has called on Monreal and his members to cease and desist from performing their activity with emphasis that their initiative has no formal coordination with the city government, Department of Interior and Local Government and Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

He then directed the Lt. Col. Harold Argamosa of Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion and P/Supt Leo Ajero, city police director, to initiate necessary actions to peacefully and orderly stop the illegal recruitment and training of the natives.

“We would make sure that the rights of our tribal constituents would not be exploited” the mayor said.

The MNLF has inked a final peace accord with the government on Sept. 6, 1996 while under MNLF founding chair Nur Misuari.Currently though, the MNLF is divided into three factions, following disagreements with Misuari.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=925528