AFP chief sets foot inside MILF camp, vows to help BOL
BANGSAMORO NEWS UPDATES • 21:11 PM Sun Oct 7, 2018
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By:
Ferdinandh Cabrera
CAPTIONand SOLDIER OF PEACEand AFP Chief Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr hands over a memento to MILF chief Al Haj Murad during the former’s visit inside MILF bailiwick Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018. (Photo by Ferdinandh Cabrera)
CAMP
DARAPANAN, Maguindanao – Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr, the country’s highest
military official on Saturday visited the main camp of Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF) where he vowed to help campaign for approval of Bangsamoro Organic
Law.
Galvez,
accompanied by Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Arnel dela Vega and 6th
Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, made the commitment
when he visited the MILF’s Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao where
he received a warm welcome.
It was the
first for a chief of staff to set foot in the MILF main camp in Maguindanao.
Galvez was a regular guest inside the MILF base since he once served as chair of the government ceasefire panel. Starting December
12, once I hang my uniform, I will campaign for yes vote on the BOLF, Galvez
said as the MILF leaders and armed followers repeatedly game him rounds of
applause.
I will help
in the challenges facing the BOL, we will solve it, together we will make it
happen, he added.
The three Army
ranking officials and their subordinates were unarmed when they entered the camp
and welcomed by heavily armed MILF fighters, including women mujahidden
(freedom fighters).
Galvez served
as chair of the government ceasefire panel and helped in defusing occasional tensions
between government forces and MILF fighters while the peace deal was being completed
by the government and the MILF peace negotiators.
MILF chieftain
Al Haj Murad Ebrahim conferred him the highest MILF award, the soldier of
peace.
This visit
represents the degree of progress we have made over the years in bridging
significant cooperation and avoiding confrontation among us Filipinos, Murad
said.
Gen. Galvez’s
visit here means so much to us, Sammy Al-Mansour, MILF chief of staff. He came over as a peace officer, we welcome
him and that strengthened our friendship.
The BOL is an
enabling law that will implement the GPH-MILF Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro
and will determine the composition of new political entity that will replace
the current ARMM.