CARMEN, North Cotabato (June 23) — The Armed Forces of the Philippines, the leadership of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the local government here, agreed to support each other in attaining peace in the province and in the country.
In the Peace Dialogue held Thursday, in Barangay Lanoon, Colonel Alfredo Rosario Jr., commander of the Philippine Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade met with Datu Kineg Inalang, Chairman of the Kapalawan Provincial Committee of the MILF. The two leaders sit down and discuss mechanisms to live in peace and harmony.
The 602nd Infantry Brigade is based here, in Camp Lucero, Barangay Nasapian.
Colonel Rosario during the meeting, assured Inalang and his followers that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is in full support to the peace process between the government and the MILF.
The military official said he wanted to know from Inalang whatever his concerns are that he could possibly relay to the government, saying his command adopts an open door policy, “Meaning everybody is welcome in the camp including leaders of the MILF, MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) and the Indigenous People (IP).”
In responding to the pronouncement of Rosario, Inalang told Rosario, they want the AFP to coordinate properly with the various peace mechanisms of the government and the MILF if there is a need to enter the area under the jurisdiction of the Kapalawan Provincial Committee.
The Kapalawan Provincial Committee covers Carmen and certain portions of the municipalities of Kabacan, Matalam, Banisilan, Arakan, President Roxas and Antipas, all of North Cotabato
Carmen Municipal Mayor Rogelio Talino, for his part, called upon his constituents to maintain the existing good relationship among the residents of Carmen even as he urged them to report to the concerned authorities any presence of lawless groups that they could monitor.
Habib Guiabar, chairman of the Local Monitoring Team (LMT) in North Cotabato, said the MILF and MNLF in North Cotabato are now united in pushing for the passage of Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), that is compliant with the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), in the interest of peace not only for the Bangsamoro but also for the whole country.
Also present during the meeting were Datu Fernandez Aliudin, chairman of the MNLF Upper Sebangan Revolutionary Committee; Abu Saima of the MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH); Lt. Colonel Ciriaco Lomas-e Jr., commander of the Army’s 7th Infantry Battalion and Police Chief Inspector April Lou Monserate Palma, the newly installed chief of police of Carmen municipality.-Taher Solaiman/NewsLine.ph
