MILF won’t surrender more arms without BBL approval

President Benigno S. Aquino III and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak witness MILF Peace Panel chairman Mohagher Iqbal, Malaysian facilitator Tengku Ghafar, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles affix their signature to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro in a ceremony at the Kalayaan Grounds of the Malacañan Palace on Thursday (March 27). Also in photo are MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim,Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles,MILF Peace Panel chairman Mohagher Iqbal,GPH Peace Panel chairperson Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer and Malaysian facilitator Tengku Dato Abdul Ghafar (Photo by Ryan Lim/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

MANILA — A second phase of decommissioning will not happen without the Bangsamoro Basic Law’s approval, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chief Murad Ebrahim said.

“The second phase will be tied up to the BBL because that’s what is in the (peace) agreement,” Murad said.

He made the statement during the ceremonial decommissioning of 75 MILF firearms and 145 MILF combatants.

“It’s in the signed document—that the MILF has to undertake the decommissioning process. That day has come,” Iqbal said.

Iqbal, however, said that the second phase of the process will only take place when the BBL is ratified.

The law seeks to create a new Bangsamoro autonomous region which will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The second phase of the process will involve 30 percent of the MILF forces including combatants and firearms.

The third phase will follow and it will involve 65 percent of the MILF forces which will take place upon the establishment of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA).

The last phase which will involve 100 percent of the MILF forces will take place upon the election of Bangsamoro officials of the new autonomous region.

Murad also denied issues that the firearms surrendered on Tuesday were unserviceable weapons adding that the International Decommissioning Body (IDB) can testify that all were functioning properly.

“The IDB saw that all are functioning. These were all taken directly from the ground,” Murad said.