COTABATO CITY (June 25, 2023) — The Adhoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said they did not receive coordination from their counterpart in the government on the law enforcement operation that was conducted in Datu Paglas, Maguindanao on June 18 where 7 members of the MILF were killed.
This confirmation was conveyed by MILF AHJAG Chairman Anwar Alamada during an interview by Iminds.ph on Saturday June 24, 2023.
The identified MILF who were killed in the joint police-military operation were Nasser Yousef Husain, Norjihad Husain, Nasrullah Mamay Singkala, Ivan Pumpugay, Izrael Laguiab, Morsid Madidis, and Mama Karim.
Alamada said the coordination letter they received is dated June 1 to June 15 regarding the operations to be performed. But this does not include the operation that happened in Datu Paglas on June 18.
The MILF AHJAG chair underscored the importance of coordination in order to avoid misencounters and avoid the same thing that happened in Datu Paglas.
“Sana bago gagawin yan dapat magkaroon ng sulat ang AHJAG ng government papunta sa amin then kami po ang magvavalidate dun po sa target kung yun ay MILF or lawless then magfeedback kami sa kanila bago gagawin ang law enforcement operation,” he explained in the same interview.
[I hope that before doing that the AHJAG of the government should have a letter to us then we will validate the target if it is MILF or lawless then we will give feedback to them before doing the law enforcement operation]
AHJAG is a peace mechanism agreed by the Philippine Government and the MILF.
It is mandated to coordinate and monitor between and among the AFP, PNP, and MILF to ensure that law enforcement operations against criminal elements within MILF areas are effectively conducted without jeopardizing the ceasefire between the tow parties. (Gandhi C. Kinjiyo, BMN/BangsamoroToday)
