PNP forms team to oversee turnover of MILF weapons

The Philippine National Police on Monday expressed hope that the decommissioning of Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s (MILF) firearms will bring back the confidence of the public to the peace process between the government and the armed group.

The PNP will send three commissioned officers to oversee the turnover of 75 high-caliber weapons of MILF to the government on Tuesday.

“Like all actions related to the ongoing peace process, it is everyone’s hope that activities such as this will build trust and confidence to the ongoing peace process between the government and the MILF,” PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wilfredo Franco said in a press briefing on Monday.

“We will always try to look for the positive side,” he said.

Chief Inspectors Randall Lyon Bueno, Filmore Abdulsalam, and Christopher Muego will be part of the Joint Verification and Monitoring Team of the Independent Decommissioning Body.

Bueno, Abdulsalam and Muego will oversee the documentation and processing of the 50 high-powered rifles and 25 crew-served weapons the MILF will surrender to the government.

The ceremony will be led by President Aquino III.

Franco said the JVMT will supervise the 30-member Joint Peace and Security Team (JPST) that will secure the mutually-agreed upon Weapons Storage area.

The JPST is made up of 15 members from the army 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 PNP has a very big participation in the ongoing peace process and by tomorrow, we will have one of the big steps taken toward peace,” he added.