Posted to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Website (Jul 8, 2019):
DILG welcomes former MILF, MNLF combatants to join PNP
Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao–In a meeting on Friday between Department of Interior Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo M. Año, Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Interim Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim, and Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito G. Galvez Jr Friday, the parties agreed that former members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Moro National Liberation front (MNLF) can join the Philippine National Police (PNP) as long as they meet the requirements set by the National Police Commission (Photo courtesy of NAPOLCOM).
Under the agreement, the government will be waiving the age and height requirements of the MILF and MNLF applicants.
“We welcome the admission of MILF and MNLF members to the police force, provided that they meet the general requirements in the national level, and of course we will waive some requirements to accommodate our Moro brothers,” Año said during the meeting.
“You can actually start the identification of MILF and MNLF members who are qualified for the immediate recruitment so we can make this arrangement and start training,” he added.
For his part, Major General Jonas Calleja, PNP Director for Plans, said his agency is in the process of drafting the memorandum circular to operationalize the said arrangement.
“We’re preparing the draft memo circular and it’s stated there that only age and height may be waived, provided the educational attainment requirement shall be applied within 15 years,” he said.
Under Republic Act 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), the age, height, and educational requirements of the ex-fighters may be waived by the NAPOLCOM.
The law also states that those who want to be part of the police force shall apply within five years from the ratification of the BOL, and that they should meet all the educational requirements within 15 years after joining the PNP.
On the appointment of the Police Regional Director for the BARMM, Año said his office “shall be getting the recommendation of the Chief Minister, as long as these police officers are qualified,” he said.
“Rest assured that I will respect your preference, including the fire and jail directors for the BARMM,” he added.
Año said the DILG “shall organize the PRO BARMM organization in pursuant to NAPOLCOM Resolution No. 2019-009.”
“With that, we’ll also provide a regional police force battalion that can be used for special purposes. And for the provincial and police units, we also welcome the preference of the local government units under the BARMM,” he said.
Under the Normalization track, Galvez said at least 1,600 PNP members will be trained as members of the Joint Peace Security Teams (JPST).
These teams will be composed of representatives from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), PNP and the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF).
They will help secure communities during the camp transformation and the decommissioning of 12,000 or 30 percent of MILF combatants which is expected to start by September 7 this year.
The JPST is among the Normalization bodies created under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), the peace agreement between the government and MILF.
During the meeting, the parties also discussed other concerns such as the turnover of offices, programs and projects from the national government to the BARMM government.
The new region now covers areas that have been included in the BARMM such as Cotabato City and the 63 barangays in North Cotabato whose residents voted yes for the BOL’s passage.
Minister of Interior and Local Government (MILG) Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo said they submitted a proposal to the DILG “to create a geographical unit, in the meantime for the transition of 63 barangays.”
This recommendation aims to ensure that there will be no interruption in the delivery of basic services to residents. (Source: OPAPP website, 07-07/19)
http://www.luwaran.com/news/article/1841/dilg-welcomes-former-milf--mnlf-combatants-to-join-pnp