MILF demands stronger peace measures, calls for return of international monitors after Basilan clash
COTABATO CITY (January 27, 2025) — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has called for a strengthening of peace mechanisms following a recent clash in Basilan, highlighting the need for improved coordination and the return of an impartial third-party observer.
Speaking to journalists ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Mamasapano clash, MILF Peace Implementing Panel (PIP) Chairperson and BARMM Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal stressed that such tragic incidents must not be repeated. He attributed both the Mamasapano clash and the Basilan encounter to a lack of coordination as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement between the MILF and the Philippine government.
“It must not happen again,” Iqbal stated, emphasizing the need for stricter adherence to ceasefire protocols. He further highlighted the need for a third party to impartially determine the truth of such incidents, citing the Basilan clash where both the government and the MILF suffered casualties.
The Basilan clash involved an encounter between MILF fighters and an Army unit, resulting in the death of two soldiers and the wounding of 12 others. According to Iqbal, preliminary investigations suggest a possible lack of coordination regarding a UNDP mission entering the area.
Iqbal expressed frustration with the absence of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) since 2022, highlighting the need for an impartial third-party observer to prevent such incidents.
“We are partners with the government, but we cannot understand why the International Monitoring Team has not been allowed to return since 2022,” he said.
Butch Malang, co-chair for the MILF of the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities, confirmed that the MILF had not received any official documentation regarding the UNDP mission’s entry in Sumisip town.
Iqbal revealed that the MILF had been requesting the return of the IMT since 2022, but their request was met with resistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the reasons for which remain unclear. He stressed the need for a neutral party to monitor the ceasefire, highlighting that the MILF is willing to include civilian observers in the IMT, if allowed to return.
The IMT, composed of military contingents from Malaysia, Brunei, and Libya, and development experts from Japan, Norway, and the European Union, played a vital role in observing and monitoring the ceasefire agreement and the humanitarian, rehabilitation, and development aspects of the agreements signed between the GPH and the MILF. However, their mandate was not renewed by the previous administration in 2022. (Taher G. Solaiman, repost from luwaran.com with photo from BMN/BangsamoroToday)
