Turnover of MILF men in Mamasapano clash still up for discussion – Iqbal

The surrender of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members involved in the Mamasapano incident is still up for discussion with the government even if the Department of Justice is bent on filing charges against them, MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said.

 

At a forum with Metro Manila lawmakers on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) Thursday, Iqbal stressed that the ceasefire agreement between the government and the MILF lays out how each party will sanction erring members.

 

“We respect the internal legal processes of the government. However, may pinirmahan ang gobyerno at MILF tungkol sa mga bagay na ‘yan kaya pag-usapan namin ‘yan (surrender). We can’t say directly na itu-turn over namin [ang mga miyembro namin] or hindi. It’s not as simple as that. Idadaan namin ‘yan sa proseso kasi nag-usap na kami,” he said.

 

Last month, De Lima announced that charges had been recommended against some 90 members of the MILF, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and private armed groups for the Jan. 25 clash that resulted in the death of over 60 people, including 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers.

 

MILF officials, however, said they will invoke the ceasefire agreement to protect their men from prosecution and will instead impose their own sanctions on them.

 

House ad hoc panel on the BBL chair Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez earlier said the MILF’s surrender of its men will “definitely affect” the voting on the measure by panel members and subsequently, at the plenary.

 

The Bangsamoro bill, which seeks to formalize the creation of the new political entity that will replace the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, was a product of the comprehensive peace agreement signed by the government with the MILF last year. — JDS, GMA News