The Philippines’ largest rebel group yesterday retired nearly 150 guerrillas and handed over 75 firearms for decommissioning to encourage congress to pass a proposed law giving minority Muslims self-rule.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III visited the headquarters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to witness the weapons handover, the first concrete action by the organization to abandon a decades-old rebellion that has claimed more than 100,000 lives.
Aquino and senior MILF leaders both said the largely symbolic activity was intended to spur congress to pass a delayed proposed law giving Muslims self-rule in the Catholic nation’s south under the terms of a peace treaty last year.
Photo: EPA
“This is one of the most difficult decisions we have made so far in more than 40 years of struggle,” chief MILF peace negotiator Mohaqher Iqbal said in a speech.
“We want to show the world that the MILF will always comply with its obligations set forth in the signed agreement,” Iqbal added.
Aquino, who ends his six-year term in a year’s time, wants the Muslim self-rule legislation to be passed soon, fearing that his successor might not pursue the peace initiative.
“Let us show them that we are worthy of their trust,” Aquino said in his speech.
Congress failed to pass the bill before it went into recess last week amid a public outcry over the killing of 44 police commandos by MILF rebels and other armed groups on the southern island of Mindanao in January.
The police officers were ambushed after they passed through MILF-influenced areas following a raid that killed Zulkifli bin Hir, a Malaysian militant and one of the most-wanted “terrorists” sought by the US.
Work on the Muslim self-rule legislation is expected to continue when congress resumes on July 27, but congressional leaders have said it is unlikely to be passed before October.
The 75 MILF weapons, including 24 pieces of equipment such as mortars and machine guns, were handed over to an independent decommissioning body headed by Turkey and also comprising members from Norway and Brunei.
The haul is believed by Philippine police to comprise just a tiny fraction of the arsenal of the 10,000-member MILF.
Under the peace deal, 30 percent of MILF combatants and weapons are to be decommissioned once congress passes the Muslim self-rule law.
The weapons are to be stored in a secure area controlled by the decommissioning body.
Another 35 percent are to follow after the law is ratified in a regional plebiscite, while the remainder would be handed over once the regional government is established and its leaders elected in May next year.
The 145 guerrillas retired yesterday are to return to civilian life and receive assistance from the government, peace negotiators said.
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