From the Zamboanga Times (Jan 22): CPOC tackles MILF issue
The City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) on Monday tasked Vice Mayor Cesar Iturralde and City Legal Officer Jesus Carbon to closely coordinate with the International Monitoring Team (IMT) and other concerned agencies pertaining to violations of the ongoing peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
This, following reports of the establishment of a political office and a cooperative by and MILF group in barangay Cawit, which IMT and representatives from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) said is illegal and should not be pursued.
Mayor Beng Climaco, CPOC chairperson, likewise tasked Atty. Carbon and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) regional office to study the matter considering that it was a clear violation of the protocol on the peace negotiations.
Climaco convened the CPOC Monday afternoon to tackle peace and security issues specifically the report about the setting up of an MILF political office and a cooperative in Cawit in the west coast.
The Council invited the IMT leader Malaysian Col. Zolkipli Hashim, AHJAG-OPAPP Action officer for Western Mindanao Maj. Abdurasad Sirajan and Cawit Barangay officials to shed light on the issue.
The IMT, OPAPP, Cawit Barangay Council together with the City Government last Friday, January 17, dialogued with the MILF group led by a certain Jusali Morsalin following reports of the establishment of the so-called Bangsamoro political office and cooperative in the west coast.
After listening to all sides, the IMT during the dialogue declared that pending the comprehensive peace agreement between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), any movement on the ground let alone in Zamboanga City by any MILF group is illegal and therefore should not be pursued.
Col. Zol instructed the group to dismantle whatever structure it had erected on a piece of land in Barangay Cawit so as not to affect, preempt or derail the ongoing GPH-MILF peace process.
Meanwhile, Mayor Climaco during the CPOC meeting Monday said Vice Mayor Iturralde will report to the IMT, on behalf of the CPOC, regarding complaints or reports on any MILF movements in the barangays.
On the other hand, the chief executive said the CHR represented by Atty. Sharon Mae Sales-Belisario will have to study the matter considering that the setting up of the supposed Bangsamoro political office in Cawit is a violation of the protocol on the peace process.
“With the help of the CHR, our Technical Working Group through Vice Mayor Iturralde and Atty. Carbon will guide us on what’s to be done given the situation”, the mayor added.
Also present during the meeting were Councilors Roel Natividad and Jerry Perez- who are members of the CPOC and Councilors Cesar Jimenez and Rommel Agan; City Administrator Antonio Orendain Jr., Task Force Zamboanga Chief Col. Andrelino Colina, Police OIC Director PSupt. Allan Nazarro, City DILG OIC Director Atty. Mohammad Arakama and representatives of member-agencies.