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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Military, MILF end firefight in Basilan as truce reached

Military, MILF end firefight in Basilan as truce reached

Published Nov 11, 2022 12:18 pm

The bloody firefight between the military and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has finally come to an end after the latter signed a ceasefire agreement with the Government of the Philippines (GPH), the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) said Friday, Nov. 11.

OPAPRU Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. (Photo by OPAPRU)

OPAPRU Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the agreement was signed around 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, two days after the encounter between members of the Philippine Army’s 101st Infantry Brigade (101st IB) and MILF-Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) 114 Base Command last Tuesday, Nov. 8, in Brgy. Ulitan, Ungkaya Pukan, Basilan.

The firefight left three dead and 15 others wounded on the side of the military while at least four rebels were reportedly killed.

“We are happy to announce that a ceasefire agreement has been signed by the GPH and MILF which brings to an end the armed encounter between government troops and MILF forces,” said OPAPRU Bangsamoro Transition Program chief David Diciano, who arrived in Basilan last Wednesday to meet with military commanders to assess the situation and broker the ceasefire.

The signing of the agreement was facilitated by the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH), Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG), and Non-Violent Peace Force (NP), which are the cooperative mechanisms by the GPH and MILF that respond to issues on criminality and terrorism in areas with MILF presence.

The agreement stated that a ceasefire shall be immediately implemented between the members of the 114 Base Command of the BIAF-MILF and Army’s 101st Infantry Brigade; and ordered the pull-out of reinforcements of BIAF-MILF who are not residents of Brgy. Ulitan. The prolonged fighting was blamed by the military on the reinforcements from other MILF communities who aided their comrades in Brgy. Ulitan.

The agreement also allowed the return of the group of Commander Huram Malangka, head of the MILF 114 Base Command, to Brgy. Ulitan while their firearms shall be kept within their respective houses as they wait for decommissioning. It can be recalled that one of the reasons the firefight broke out was the bringing of firearms by the MILF when they returned to Brgy. Ulitan last Nov. 7, which supposedly violated the Army’s prohibition on the transportation of firearms in the village.

MILF and civilian residents of Brgy. Ulitan left the village when the military launched clearing operations in September to hunt down lawless elements tagged in the twin explosions in Isabela City on May 30 and the bombing of Lamitan City Hall last June 20.

The agreement also stated that a composite detachment shall be established by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), and BIAF-MILF to address lawless elements and help maintain peace in the barangay.

Lastly, the agreement said issues and concerns pertaining to BIAF-MILF in the municipality of Ungkaya Pukan shall be reported to the MILF CCCH and MILF AHJAG for immediate resolution.

The truce was signed by Brig. Gen. Eduardo Gubat, chairperson of GPH CCCH; Col. Frederick Sales, Team 3 leader of GPH AHJAG; Lt. Col. Cyril Santander, commanding officer of 18th Infantry Battalion; Brig. Gen. Domingo Gobway, commander of 101st IB; and Brig. Gen. Antonio Rojas, acting commander of Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom).

The signatories for the MILF side were Butch Malang, chair of the MILF CCCH; Anwar Alamada, chair of MILG AHJAG; Hadji Ahaddin, support staff of MILF CCCH; and Malik Caril, officer-in-charge of BIAF-MILF and member of MILF CCCH.

Galvez lauded the signing of the peace agreement which, he said, signified the desire of both parties to put an end to the armed conflict in the region.

“We are also hopeful that armed clashes such as these will not happen again so as not to undermine the major gains we have achieved under the Bangsamoro peace process,” Galvez noted.

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OPAPRU 11112022 Encounter basilan army milf
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