PNP chief seeks BARMM help in policing MILF areas

FILE PHOTO: PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. INQUIRER / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The chief of the Philippine National Police has appealed for greater cooperation by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in law enforcement in the region, especially in communities of the erstwhile rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

“We are really trying to establish partnership coordination and collaboration with the [Chief] Minister of BARMM. Our law enforcers need to have good communication with the local governments units and Chief Minister Murad (Ebrahim). We need help and cooperation from the BARMM leadership,” Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. told a press briefing at Camp Abendan here on Thursday.

“There are some areas of the [MILF] that we cannot easily get in, so we need better communication in case we need permission to get inside to arrest persons covered with warrants,” he said.

Majority of the wanted criminals in the region covered with warrants are former MILF members, and in the course of serving these warrants, policemen were either killed or wounded, he added.

When asked about the number of arrest warrants waiting to be served, Azurin gestured his finger to show that the said documents are some three to four inches thick.

“If we have internal cleansing within our ranks, they (MILF) should also have their own, to show reciprocity because they are already part of the government and the government has been very kind to them,” the PNP chief said.

Police Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, BARMM police director, said his unit this year had lost six policemen while another four were wounded while performing their duties.

Meanwhile, Azurin announced the imposition of gun ban in the provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, and the 63 villages of Cotabato province, collectively known as BARMM’s special geographic area, because of the recent crime incidents there.

—JULIE S. ALIPALA

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