Army, MILF join hands to address terrorism in Lanao Sur

By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.

September 9, 2020, 6:32 pm

<p><strong>PEACE, DEVELOPMENT.</strong> Lt. Col. Franco Raphael Alano, commander of the Army's 55th Infantry Battalion (2nd from right), and Bangsamoro Transition Authority member Adbullah Macapaar, who is also one of the leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (center), talk about peace and development in Lanao del Sur in a meeting Tuesday (Sept. 8, 2020). After the meeting, the two joined the other officials in a photo session in Camp Bilal in Tamparan, Munai, Lanao del Sur. <em>(Photo courtesy of the 1st Infantry Division Public Affairs Office)</em></p>

PEACE, DEVELOPMENT. Lt. Col. Franco Raphael Alano, commander of the Army's 55th Infantry Battalion (2nd from right), and Bangsamoro Transition Authority member Adbullah Macapaar, who is also one of the leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (center), talk about peace and development in Lanao del Sur in a meeting Tuesday (Sept. 8, 2020). After the meeting, the two joined the other officials in a photo session in Camp Bilal in Tamparan, Munai, Lanao del Sur. (Photo courtesy of the 1st Infantry Division Public Affairs Office)

ZAMBOANGA CITY--The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has agreed to convince the members of the Dawlah Islamiya, formerly known as the Maute group, to lay down their arms and to return to the fold of the law.

In a statement Wednesday, the Army's 1st Infantry Division said the agreement was reached during a meeting between Lt. Col. Franco Raphael Alano, commander of the 55th Infantry Battalion (IB), and Abdullah Macapaar alias Commander Bravo of the North-Western Mindanao Front-Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (NWMF-BIAF-MILF).

Macapaar is also a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The meeting of the two officials took place Tuesday at Camp Bilal Bin Rabbah Dalu Shuhadah, Barangay Tamparan in Munai, Lanao del Sur.

Lt. Col. Domingo Dulay Jr., commander of the Army's 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, facilitated the meeting of the two officials, according to 1ID.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the measures they can undertake to resolve the terrorism issue in the area, particularly in Madalum, Lanao del Sur, which is a priority area for the military’s counter-terrorism efforts and where both the 55IB and the NWMF-BIAF-MILF oversee.

During the meeting, 1ID said, the MILF side also committed to support the Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) program of the 55IB, which aims to resolve societal issues exploited by terrorist groups to recruit more members and supporters.

Also discussed were the current peace and development initiatives in Madalum like the Liangan-Tamporong road clearing project, which was recently approved by the Lanao del Sur provincial government, the Army division said.

Once completed, the road will not only benefit the residents but also the camp transformation of the MILF, which is part of their normalization process.

Both sides also discussed better ways of coordination and collaboration between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and MILF, and the assistance that the 55IB can provide to ensure that the end state of the peace process is fulfilled.

According to 1ID, the success of the meeting was also due to the intervention of Musa Mohammad Sangila, Regional Coordinator, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, United Religions Initiative, who is a long-time partner of the AFP in peace and reform initiatives, and who is also instrumental in the normalization of the MILF in Lanao del Norte.

Also present during the meeting were Capt. Michael Karanain, 43rd Mechanized Infantry Company commander, and Mustaba Macarambon of the Government of the Philippines-MILF-Local Monitoring Team (GPH-MILF-LMT).

1ID said the activity illustrated how they and the MILF are committed to pursuing peace and development in the area and to maintaining a strong rapport between them and other partners for peace and development in Lanao. (PNA)

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