A soldier’s story of peace in Mindanao

From the Leyte Samar Daily Express (Dec 19): A soldier’s story of peace in Mindanao



Cleaning and planting with school children in mindanao

If there is one thing that Army Captain Arturo M. Dumalagan would like to see in his lifetime, it is about the realization of peace in Mindanao. Capt. Dumalagan, who hails from Maasin City in Southern Leyte , is the Civil Military Operation Officer of 65th Infantry Battalion, 9th Infantry Division, stationed at Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur. As the Bangsamoro framework agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front finally came into being last October, the Army officer has also expressed confidence that peace is now arm reach in Mindanao area.“We’re happy because we will not be fighting them (MILF) with our weapons anymore. Instead we will be joining our hands fighting against criminality in the area, joining forces in conducting rehabilitation in Lanao,” said Capt. Dumalagan.

Although speaking on a personal basis, the Army officer said peace and order are slowly taking shape in his area. “They (MILF) are starting to go down and walk freely in the city without their weapons as agreed upon.” Another development he also recalled is that they were not able to have armed clashes with the MILF when ceasefire agreement was declared in Mindanao since the previous administration. “We had no recorded MILF encounters since the ceasefire was declared in 2009. We are now only confronting lawless groups in Lanao del Sur, like carnappers, kidnappers and drug pushers especially in Marawi city.” His wish however is that someday the Army will exist “only against the treat of any foreign enemy invaders,” instead of fighting against its own people. “The problems in Mindanao can be solved by no less than sincere and honest politicians or leaders,” said Capt. Dumalagan, adding that with his five years of fighting criminality in the area he has lots of experiences to tell about Mindanao.

Meanwhile, in his recent media interview MILF chairman Al Haj Murad said: “The challenges are very gigantic. We know this is not the end of the struggle. Signing an agreement is not an end of the struggle, but it is a start of struggle in a different form. So we’re preparing ourselves for the hard tasks ahead.” “Signing an agreement is one aspect, but implementing it is a more difficult process and building a nation which has been ruined for four decades is a very challenging task . So what is important for us is we can contribute to how the aspirations of the Bangsamoro will be achieved. We don’t look more on what we can get from this agreement …. We are not yet definite on what position we can get , but that has to be seen during the implementation. The important is what we have achieved will be in place and whoever runs it is only secondary.”

Malacanang has also created a Transition Commission that will handle on the “human development and poverty alleviation” in the region, not to mention power and wealth sharing.



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