From foes to allies: Gov’t forces and BIAF, MILF train as Joint Peace and Security Teams

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jun 5): From foes to allies: Gov’t forces and BIAF, MILF train as Joint Peace and Security Teams

The Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have finished forming and training the first Joint Peace and Security Team (JPST) Monday, June 1 that will be deployed in agreed areas in the Bangsamoro to help in the decommissioning process.

The  training had the full support of the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process said.

The Annex on Normalization of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) mandates the JPSTs to track and document private armies and other armed groups; help reduce and control weapons; support the observance of the ceasefire agreement; work on security arrangements for peace process-connected personalities and events; and support dispute resolution initiatives on the ground.

6th Infantry Division, Philippine Army commander Major General Edmundo Pangilinan, who oversaw the graduation of the first JPST, expressed that he “could no longer see the differences between the government forces and the BIAF (Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces).”

The commander emphasized that peace, long been prayed for by all sectors in Mindanao, could only be attained through unity.  “Now we are one. We have a lot of experiences, the BIAF, the AFP, the PNP, including the civilians who suffered so much. We shed tears, perspire and bled. I believe that because of these experiences we should stop these fights.”

MILF Joint Normalization Committee (JNC) head secretariat Toks Ibrahim said the formation of the first JPST was another concrete proof of the gains of the peace negotiations between the government and the MILF. “The training was successful despite the differences between the participants.”

Brigadier General Carlito Galvez, Jr., chairperson of the GPH Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH), commented that “ang dating magkaaway at magkakatunggali ngayon ay magsasama-sama sa iisang layunin na palaganapin ang katahimikan sa buong Mindanao (Former enemies and foes now work together to spread peace in Mindanao)."

The International Monitoring Team (IMT) M-10 mission also joined the ceremony and recognized the the JPST’s vital role in the normalization process. Mission deputy head Admiral Dato Pahlawan Khairuddin Bin Mohd Arif lauded the members of the JPST, proclaiming the team will contribute greatly to the success of the peace process to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao.

BIAF Commander Gordon Sayfullah gave assurances of his command’s full support for all the JPST’s activities and undertakings in the Bangsamoro.

The JPST is part of a larger normalization initiative which aims to build a Bangsamoro that is committed to basic human rights where individuals are free from fear of violence or crime and where long-held traditions and values continue to be honored. (OPAPP)

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1781433500710/from-foes-to-allies-gov-t-forces-and-biaf-milf-train-as-joint-peace-and-security-teams