OPAPRU Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. (File photo)
MANILA – The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) has announced the third phase of the decommissioning process of the remaining 1,301 Moro Islamic Liberation Front - Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (MILF-BIAF) combatants will resume next month.
“Gusto po naming i-announce na this coming Aug. 3, mayroon po tayong 1,301 combatants ma-de-decommission para makumpleto po yung first, second, third phases na 26,000 (We would like to announce that this coming Aug. 3, 1,031 combatants will be decommissioned to complete the first, second, and third phases for 26,000)," OPAPRU Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said during the Post-State Of the Nation Address (SONA) Discussions held at the Hilton Hotel Manila, Pasay City Wednesday afternoon.
As of this time, Galvez said 24,000 combatants have been decommissioned based on the normalization track.
“Next year at sa susunod na taon, may 14,000 or 35 percent remaining na ide-decommission (by next year and the following year, another 14,000 or 35 percent will be decommissioned)," the OPAPRU chief said.
The Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB) is expected to complete the decommissioning process before the first election in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in 2025, he added.
In his second SONA on July 24, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed that he was “proud of the progress that the BARMM has taken. It will be self-governing, progressive, and effective.”
“It’s very critical that we build on the peace gains and ensure continuing progress,” Galvez said.
One of the critical steps needed is the process of decommissioning. It is among the key provisions of the Annex on Normalization of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), the peace agreement between the government of the Philippines (GPH) and the MILF signed in 2014.
This step will serve as an initial key in helping former MILF-BIAF combatants successfully transition to civilian life.
Based on the CAB, the Independent Decommissioning Body is composed of international and local experts that oversee the decommissioning process of MILF fighters and weapons so that these are put beyond use.
“The partnership between the government and the MILF enabling the final leg of Phase 3 of the decommissioning to push through serves as a testament that both sides are sincerely committed to implementing the 9-year old agreement,“ GPH Implementing Panel Chair for the GPH-MILF Peace Accord retired Brig. Gen. Cesar B. Yano said.
A critical part of the Normalization track, the decommissioning process validates and verifies the identities of former combatants.
“As they complete the upcoming third phase this August, the succeeding steps will hopefully allow them to transform from being a combatant into a productive member of civil society,” Yano added.
During the post-SONA discussions, Galvez also lauded the President’s sincere efforts to further advance the Bangsamoro peace process. “Dalawang buwan after ng kanyang assumption ay nabuo niya po yung napakagandang unified Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) (Two months after he assumed the Presidency, he created the beautiful unified Bangsamoro Transition Authority)," he added.
Galvez said the Chief Executive reconciled the differences between the leaders of the MNLF and MILF and became part of the BTA. (PNA)
