PNP taps 3 officials to help IDB in MILF decommissioning

MANILA, Philippines —  The Philippine National Police has designated three police officials to assist the Independent Decommissioning Body, which will oversee the decommissioning of the weapons of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The police officials, all with the rank of chief inspector, will be part of the Joint Verification and Monitoring Team (JVMT) of the IDB.

Chief Insps. Randall-Lyon Bueno, Filmore Abdulsalam Calib and Christopher Muego were named to be part of the JVMT.

In a press briefing in Camp Crame, Chief Supt. Wilfredo Franco, the PNP spokesperson, said PNP personnel would also secure the venue of the decommissioning and symbolic turnover of firearms on Tuesday.

The three police officials will be in charge of the documentation and processing of the firearms.

“Like all actions related to the ongoing peace process, it is everyone’s hope that this will build trust and confidence between the government and the MILF,” Franco said.

President Aquino will witness the first phase of the decommissioning of firearms in Maguindanao.

There will be a ceremonial turnover of 55 high-powered and 20 crew-served weapons of the MILF, while 145 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, the MILF’s armed unit, will be decommissioned as well.

The JVMT will be headed by a foreign, independent expert with a member each from the Philippine government and the MILF.

The JVMT shall supervise the 30-member Joint Peace and Security Team JPST, which is responsible in securing the mutually agreed upon weapons storage area.

The JPST is composed of 15 members from the military and police, and an equal number from the MILF.

Teams of 10 JPST personnel each are tasked to secure the storage facility at all times.

The IDB through the JVMT has earlier initiated the registration of MILF fighters and weapons to be decommissioned.

Franco said the JVMT would also look at the functionality of the firearms.

“This is just the start of the decommissioning process, this is a continuous process,” the police official said.

The PNP also urged the MILF to return all the firearms of the Special Action Force, whose 44 commandos perished in an encounter with the MILF last January.

“We hope that the MILF would be moving towards gaining the trust and confidence of the government by ultimately returning all of the SAF’s weapons,” Franco said.