Gov't, MILF record zero encounter in 2012

FOR the first time since the ceasefire agreement has been signed by both the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) more than a decade ago, a zero incident of armed encounter has been recorded in 2012.

The Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the MILF, also known as the ceasefire committee, have attributed the zero skirmishes to the effective coordination of both parties, the Secretariat of the GPH-MILF CCCH said on Tuesday.

"2012 is indeed a historic year for the current GPH-MILF peace process as it is the only year since the signing of the ceasefire accord between the two parties more than a decade of years now that not a single encounter of armed encounter between government and MILF forces occurred," it said.

Major Carlos Sol Jr., head of the Secretariat of the GPH CCCH, said that the effectiveness of the ceasefire mechanisms and strong cooperation and partnership between the government and MILF forces attributed the zero armed encounter for 2012.

"The signing of the Framework Agreement had significantly improved and sustained the adherence and support to the ceasefire particularly among the ground commanders of the government and MILF and the local government units," he said.

Major General Datuk Abdul Rahim bin Yusuff of Malaysia, International Monitoring Team (IMT) Head of Mission, commended the GPH-MILF CCCH and the other ceasefire mechanism for the remarkable accomplishment in 2012.

He urged both the government and the Muslim rebels to keep the zero incident in 2013 and maintain the stable situation on the ground so that the implementation of the framework agreement will provide the necessary conducive environment for its greater success.

The GPH and the MILF forged on October 15 the framework agreement, a blueprint for a final peace settlement to end the decades armed conflict in Mindanao. (SDR)