Iqbal vows 145 MILF rebels disarmed 'very soon'

From GMA News (Jun 8): Iqbal vows 145 MILF rebels disarmed 'very soon'

One hundred forty-five members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces  (BIAF), the armed component of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will be "decommissioned very soon,” MILF Chief Negotiator Mohagher Iqbal has said.

Decommissioning is defined as returning to civilian life and putting firearms out of use.

Iqbal told GMA News that aside from 145 armed rebels returning to cvilian life, 75 high-powered and crew-served firearms will be turned over to the International Decommissioning Body (IDB).

“This is a symbol that the MILF is will deliver on its commitment to the signed agreements. We hope the government does that too,” Iqbal said.

Decommissioning is mandated in the Normalization Annex signed by the rebel group and the government in January 2014, and will be done in phases. The decommissioned members and their families will be given socio-economic assistance by the government.

The normalization annex states that “the decommissioning of MILF forces shall be parallel and commensurate to the implementation of all the agreements of the Parties (the MILF and the GPH).”

Thirty percent of MILF members are expected to be decommissioned once the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is ratified. Two months prior to the signing of the exit agreement by the parties, 100% of MILF members should have been decommissioned.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/500474/news/nation/iqbal-vows-145-milf-rebels-disarmed-very-soon