MORO REBEL fighters turned over fewer high-powered firearms but more crew-serve weapons -- which are reportedly deadlier -- than was previously announced, authorities said.
Officials inspect weapons handed over by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebel group for decommissioning in Sultan Kudarat on June 16. -- AFP
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) lay down 51 high-powered guns -- lower than the 55 it promised -- but surrendered 24 crew-serve weapons (which require more than one person to operate), higher than the 20 that was earlier expected.
“These decommissioned firearms were secured by the Verification and Monitoring Assistance Team under the Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB) with a unit from the Joint Peace and Security Team composed of elements from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, and the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces,” the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) said.
The government was already aware of the discrepancy, government peace panel chair Miriam C. Ferrer said.
“The IDB completed its inspection and registration early morning yesterday so I got a copy of the list when I arrived yesterday,” Ms. Ferrer said in an interview.
The IDB, under a protocol signed in January, will conduct inventory and will validate the arms list submitted by the MILF. It is chaired by Turkish diplomat Haydar Berk and among its members are retired Brig. Gen. Jan Erik Wilhelmsen of Norway and Major Muhammad Aimman Syazwi bin Haji Abdul Rahim of Brunei.
“It was in fact better that they turned in more crew serve as these are more deadly. In any case this was approved by the IDB,” she said.
President Benigno S. C. Aquino III on Tuesday witnessed the ceremonial decommissioning of 75 weapons and 145 combatants at the old provincial capitol in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.
“The Norwegian team leader of the Verification and Monitoring Assistance Team (VMAT) of the Independent Decommissioning Body locked up the storage facility of the weapons turned over,” the OPAPP said.
The VMAT will secure the storage facility in Camp Iranun in Maguindanao.
“IDB chair Ambassador Haydar Berk of Turkey entrusts the key to the storage facility to the Norwegian VMAT team leader in charge of securing the area,” it said.
“These decommissioned firearms were secured by the Verification and Monitoring Assistance Team under the Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB) with a unit from the Joint Peace and Security Team composed of elements from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, and the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces,” the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) said.
The government was already aware of the discrepancy, government peace panel chair Miriam C. Ferrer said.
“The IDB completed its inspection and registration early morning yesterday so I got a copy of the list when I arrived yesterday,” Ms. Ferrer said in an interview.
The IDB, under a protocol signed in January, will conduct inventory and will validate the arms list submitted by the MILF. It is chaired by Turkish diplomat Haydar Berk and among its members are retired Brig. Gen. Jan Erik Wilhelmsen of Norway and Major Muhammad Aimman Syazwi bin Haji Abdul Rahim of Brunei.
“It was in fact better that they turned in more crew serve as these are more deadly. In any case this was approved by the IDB,” she said.
President Benigno S. C. Aquino III on Tuesday witnessed the ceremonial decommissioning of 75 weapons and 145 combatants at the old provincial capitol in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.
“The Norwegian team leader of the Verification and Monitoring Assistance Team (VMAT) of the Independent Decommissioning Body locked up the storage facility of the weapons turned over,” the OPAPP said.
The VMAT will secure the storage facility in Camp Iranun in Maguindanao.
“IDB chair Ambassador Haydar Berk of Turkey entrusts the key to the storage facility to the Norwegian VMAT team leader in charge of securing the area,” it said.
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