Gov’t, MILF prepare for disarmament of Moro rebels

KORONADAL CITY—The expected ratification in December of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) will pave the way for the gradual decommissioning of the 30,000 combatants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), officials from the government and the rebel group said.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has yet to determine the exact date of the referendum, but the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) is optimistic the BOL will be ratified by the Bangsamoro people.

“It is expected that upon the ratification of the BOL, targeted to be in December, 30 percent of the MILF forces will undergo the decommissioning process,” OPAPP said in a statement on Thursday.

In June 2015, a year after the government and the MILF signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, 145 MILF combatants were decommissioned in a ceremony.

The BOL is the enabling law that will establish the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. It needs to be ratified in a plebiscite to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

November for Zubiri

Speaking on the sidelines of the House committee on appropriations’ meeting on Monday, Comelec Commissioner Sheriff Abas said the plebiscite would likely be held in December 2018.

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, chair of the Senate panel that tackled the Bangsamoro bill, said he was hopeful the plebiscite would be held in November.

The plebiscite, which will cost at least P854 million, shall be held within 90 to 150 days from the signing of the law.—BONG S. SARMIENTO