Monday, August 21, 2006
Government peace panel revamped
THE government panel that is holding peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has been revamped following the appointment of Brigadier General Edgardo Gurrea as chair of the coordinating committee on the cessation of hostilities (CCCH).
Gurrea replaced retired Brigadier General Ramon Santos, an undersecretary at the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.
Mohagher Iqbal, MILF chief peace negotiator, said he was informed by his counterpart, Secretary Silvestre Afable Jr., of Gurrea's appointment.
Gurrea, who hails from Lala in Lanao Del Norte, once headed Joint Task Force Gensan before he was assigned as commander of the 603rd Brigade.
On the MILF side, it reappointed CCCH chairman Von Al-Haq, said Iqbal.
Meanwhile, another ranking official of the MILF chided the splitting of the Armed Forces' Southern Command into two, noting it "will not augur well to the image of the government's fight against insurgency."
Khaled Musa, deputy chairman of the front's information committee, said the splitting of the Southern Command into southern and eastern commands would also result to a continued militarization of Mindanao.
"This continued militarization of Mindanao is an indication that the government, contrary to its regular pronouncement, is not winning the war against insurgents," he said.
The Southern Command, the largest military command outside Metro Manila, has under its jurisdiction three Army divisions, two Navy commands, two Marine Brigades, and an Air Force tactical wing.
The split of the Southern Command followed after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered an all-out war against the New People's Army.
Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon said the southern command will focus their campaign on the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group while the eastern command will concentrate on the communist rebels.
For Bisaya stories from General Santos.Click here. (This section is updated every Monday)
(August 21, 2006 issue)
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