CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (September 8) — A tense checkpoint encounter in Kolambugan has prompted Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander Abdullah Macapaar, also known as Kumander Bravo, to declare MILF communities in Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur off-limits to police and military personnel.
Macapaar issued the warning Sunday after security forces stopped and turned back an MILF convoy traveling to Camp Bilal in Munai, Lanao del Norte.
“The police and military are now off-limits to MILF areas,” Macapaar said in a radio interview.
He said he had informed the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, along with military and police officials in both provinces, about the restriction.
The convoy—reported to include 23 vehicles and five motorcycles—was intercepted on Sept. 2 at Barangay Libertad in Kolambugan. It was carrying members of the MILF’s 131st Base Command to their monthly conference at Camp Bilal, Macapaar said.
According to him, the group had coordinated its trip with security authorities and had passed several checkpoints before reaching Kolambugan.
Macapaar also said the government-MILF peace agreement allows members to carry firearms while traveling to their camps. He argued that the gun ban for the Sept. 14 Bangsamoro parliamentary elections did not apply to Lanao del Norte because the province is outside the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Kolambugan Mayor Lorenzo “Iyoy” Manigos disputed Macapaar’s position.
Manigos said MILF members may carry firearms inside their camps but must coordinate with local governments, police and military authorities when traveling outside those areas.
A police report said the convoy was stopped at about 7:30 a.m. by personnel from the Lanao del Norte Police Provincial Office’s 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company and soldiers from the Army’s 5th Mechanized Battalion. The checkpoint was reinforced by two armored personnel carriers.
Police said the convoy could not show documents or other proof of prior coordination for its movement through Kolambugan.
Security forces then escorted the convoy back toward Picong, Lanao del Sur, according to Manigos. No violence was reported, although the incident caused traffic congestion.
Lanao del Norte police director Col. Leo De Leon Sua said the checkpoint was meant to protect residents while respecting the peace process.
“Our primary concern is the safety and security of everyone,” Sua said. He urged groups planning large movements to coordinate properly with authorities to avoid confusion and preserve peace in local communities.
Sua said police would continue working with the military, local governments and other peace and security partners to keep the province safe.
