MILF to help ensure peaceful village, youth polls

CAMP
DARAPANAN, Maguindanao – The military arm of Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF) will help ensure peaceful and orderly Barangay and SK elections
but will never actively participate in the electoral process, an MILF official
today said.

Von Al Haq,
spokesperson of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), said the
MILF as an organization is prohibiting its armed members to get involve in
Philippine electoral process.

It is the
standing policy of the MILF. We are not allowed direct or indirect
participation on the electoral process, Al Haq said.

He explained
that indirect participation includes acting as security escorts of candidates, lending
firearms and other weapons and other acts that would provide support to any
candidate and political parties.

Al Haq also
said that the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) of
both the MILF and government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on May 4
to maintain the peace on the ground during the election period.

Under the MoU,
both parties agreed that the police and military could enter MILF territories
during the election period provided proper coordination is observed.

We know that
they will enter, pass by, or bring ballots. And that was agreed on by both
parties. We do not see it as a problem, Al Haq said in a statement.

However, he
clarified that during the elections it would be the PNP and military that would
play the major roles and the BIAF will play minor roles and only when
necessary.

BIAF would
provide help to the AFP and PNP only if necessary, he said.

The guidelines
of the barangay election agreement between the government and MILF include
mechanisms on the mobility of people and forces.

The main
routes, water and land usually used by the MILF troops during movements and
activities shall be left opened. Provided, however, that MILF movements are
properly coordinated earlier with the GPH CCCH and the existing ceasefire
mechanisms, the MoU said.

The MoU also
said that MILF shall refrain from consolidating its forces for any purpose
including peace gatherings from the time the election paraphernalia are deployed
until the election has been completed except at Camp Darapanan in Sultan
Kudarat, Maguindanao, Camp Bushra in Lanao del Sur, and in urban centers, when
necessary, and in coordination with the GPH CCCH.

Armed MILF elements
should not go near polling centers and precincts, avoid display of firearms and
uniforms along routes leading to the areas where electoral activities are
ongoing, it added.

BIAF members violating
this memorandum will be sanctioned according to the MILF policies as determined
by the disciplinary board. (Edwin O. Fernandez)