Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
COTABATO CITY, Philippines—Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said Wednesday that proposals to absorb Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu) members into the police force of the proposed Bangsamoro entity should be studied carefully as there is always the threat of desertion.
Recognizing the threat, Marcos said that the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) will curb the threat of taking up arms and silence calls for secession.
“There is always a danger [of defection]. But again, if the stakeholders feel that there is no more motivation to fight, then that is what we are trying to do is to remove that motivation to go to the hills and fight for secession. Then perhaps, they [BIFF and Cafgu] will not feel the need to be combatants and they will instead be enforcers of the law,” Marcos told reportes after the first public hearing on the BBL at the Notre Dame University.
The senator also said that under the BBL, livelihood programs and absorption in the uniformed services will be offered to secessionist groups.
Under the proposed BBL, the Bangsamoro police force is tasked to promote the peace and order in the autonomous entity and will be supervised by the Philippine National Police.
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