AFP to continue security tasks in Mindanao
MANILA, Philippines – The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Monday said it will continue its security operations and intelligence gathering activities in Mindanao even as the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed a preliminary peace pact aimed at ending the fighting in war-torn region.
“We will remain vigilant and proactive throughout the nation in order to thwart any hostile action by those who plan to disrupt the peace and stability of our country,” AFP spokesman Colonel Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. told reporters.
He said they will continue to pursue Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, the armed wing of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement headed by ex MILF Ameril Umbra Kato.
“We consider the BIFF as lawless elements…we will continue to pursue these lawless elements. And although the Armed Forces of the Philippines is open to peaceful settlements of disputes and conflicts, our security operations will continue,” he added.
So far, Burgos said they have not monitored any threats in relation to the signing of framework agreement.
With the peace deal between the government and MILF, the military sees the possibility of shifting its priorities towards external defense.
“Part of our IPSP Bayanihan, for the first three years we focus on internal security operations and starting the fourth year of the implementations, we will be gradually shifting to external defense operations, the true mandate of the AFP and we will be going towards that,” Burgos said.
“This will surely contribute in expediting the implementation, or shifting towards external defense,” he added.
The IPSP or Internal Security Peace Plan Bayanihan, the military’s campaign plan on internal security operations, was implemented in 2011.
