Atty. Abdul Dataya (L), chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front peace panel’s counterpart in the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (MILF-AHJAG), Isidro Lapeña, Director General of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Catalino Cuy (r), Officer-in-Charge of the Department of Interior and Local Government, sign the “Protocol of Cooperation on Anti-Illegal Drugs Operations and Related Activities in MILF Areas/Communities” on Friday, 30 June 2017 in Hotel Elena, Davao City. MindaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO
A report posted online by the Manila Bulletin on July 01 said that ”The government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed a protocol on Friday, June 30 at Hotel Elena, Davao City that sets the “cooperation and coordination mechanisms” between government and MILF forces in addressing the drug problem in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and some parts outside this region.
The said “Protocol of Cooperation on Anti-Illegal Drugs Operations and Related Activities in MILF Areas/Communities” was signed by Isidro Lapeña, Director General of Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and DILG Officer-in-Charge Catalino Cuy on the part of the GPH, and Atty. Abdul Dataya, Chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front peace panel’s counterpart in the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (MILF-AHJAG).
MILF CCCH Chair Butch Malang was also present during the historic signing.
Cuy described the signing of the protocol between the two parties as a manifestation of a yearlong series of meetings how both parties can work together in clearing the Bangsamoro communities of drugs, said the Manila Bulletin report.
He said the GPH and MILF acknowledged the enormity of the drug problem in the country and that the areas controlled by the MILF “are not exempted.”
He said the protocol would provide procedures and integrate efforts of both parties during anti-illegal drug operations.
The document consisting 15-pages says that the MILF recognized the ill effects of illegal drugs and the rampant trading of shabu in the Bangsamoro and declared “the use, sale and proliferation of shabu as ‘haram’ and prohibited in Islam.”
Among others, the protocol applies to anti-illegal drug operations and other related anti-illegal drug efforts that would be conducted jointly by the government and MILF forces, the Manila Bulletin also said in its report.
It also aims to integrate efforts, provide procedures and clearly “define the roles of GPH and MILF in the conduct of anti-illegal drug operations and related activities in MILF areas through ceasefire agreement with the end goal of filing drug cases against arrested drug personalities.”
It also provides that the government agencies that would conduct anti-illegal drug operations in MILF areas “shall inform not less than 24 hours prior to the conduct of anti-illegal drug operations, the GPH-AHJAG (government-Ad Hoc Joint Action Group).“
The Joint AHJAG “shall then inform the GPH-MILF CCCH (Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities in order to avoid misencounter between the GPH and MILF forces.”
The protocol also provides the general guidelines, operational procedures, and implementation of search warrant.
Chief Supt. Pierre R. Bucsit, Chairman-GPH AHJAG, said he believes the coordination between the police and the MILF would become “smooth sailing” with the signing of the protocol.
“The coordination will be smooth sailing when it comes to law enforcement operations. Today is another milestone between government and MILF,” he said.
http://www.luwaran.com/news/article/909/gph--milf-sign-protocol-of-cooperation-and-coordination-in-addressing-illegal-drugs-problem-in-the-armm
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