DAVAO CITY —The Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the officials of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed an agreement on Thursday, November 10, to end the skirmishes in the town of Ungkaya Pukan, Basilan Province which displaced over 2,000 residents.
The GRP headed by Brig. Gen Eduardo Gubat, chairperson of the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilies (GRP-CCCH) while Butch Malang, chairperson of the MILF-CCCH signed on behalf of the MILF-CCCH.
Other signatories include Western Mindanao COmmand Acting Commander Brig. Gen. Arturo Rojas; Malik Caril, officer-in-charge of BIAF-MILF and member of MILF CCCH, among others.
The document was also signed by the repersentatives of the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (ADJAG) with the officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines particularly the 18th Infantry Battalion and the 64th Infantry Battalion who are based in the area where the sporadic encounter took place since November 7 and ended only on November 10,
Based on the agreement, a ceasefire is in placed and the MILF-BIAF (Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces) who are non-residents of Barangay Ulitan, Ungkaya Pukan will leave the village; Allow the group of Commander Huram Malangka to return to Barangay Ulitan and their firearms be kept within their respective houses while waiting for the decommissioning; that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the MILF-BIAF will establish a composite detachment and cooperate to address the lawless elements and help in the maintenance of peace and order in said barangay and ; issues pertaining to MILF-BIAF in the municipality of Ungkaya Pukan should be immediately reported to the GPH-MILF and ADJAG for immesiate resolution.
Colonel Cyril Santander, commander of the 18th IB in an interview with Newsline said “We will abide by the agreement because it is for the people, we have a vow to protect the people and secure the land, it will harmonize the situation and I hope the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) can now return to their homes.”
The three-day firefight resulted to the displacedment of over 2,000 residents from Barangay Ulitan and five other neighboring villages.
It also caused the death of three soldiers, wounded about a dizedn while the government troops believed around ten MILF fighters also lost their lives with more wounded combatants.
“The MILF members are awaiting their decommissioning which is being processed. With the agreement we hope that there will be peace,” Santander added “We expect the MILF to help us run after the members of the Abu Sayyaf who seek refuge in the areas under their control.”
The decommissioning of MILF forces is among the key provisions of the Annex on Normalization of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) forged between the government and MILF, which aims to help former combatants transform into peaceful and productive citizens which was signed in 2018.-Editha Z. Caduaya
