MILF suspends key commander over policy violations

Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim —File photo from Malacañang

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has suspended its base commander in Maguindanao for alleged violation of the group’s directives.

In an order handed down on Monday, MILF Chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim suspended Abdulwahid Tundok, commander of the 118th Base Command of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, its armed wing that is set for decommissioning under a peace deal with the government.

Tandok commands MILF forces within its Camp Badre.

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Ebrahim said Tandok breached “command and organizational discipline” by not following his memorandum regarding the non-participation in the activities of government that are deemed unilateral implementation of the peace deal.

The MILF leadership had halted the final phase of the decommissioning of its forces and their weapons.

“You are hereby suspended indefinitely from your post in the MILF effective immediately,” the order reads.

Copies of the suspension were furnished to the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) chief of staff and the MILF Central Committee secretary.

Ebrahim did not mention any particular incident that figured Tandok that constituted a violation of his earlier order.

The MILF, once the country’s largest separatist group, signed a peace agreement with the government in 2014 and now leads the transitional government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. /atm