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Monday, February 23, 2004
Gov't to pull out soldiers from former MILF camp
MANILA -- Presidential adviser on the peace process Teresita Deles said Sunday that government will be pulling out its troops from the former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) camp called Buliok Complex in central Mindanao as part of confidence-building measures ahead of renewed peace negotiations with the MILF.
Deles said the pullout would be gradual, based on consultations with the Armed Forces and the local government units (LGUs).
She said the pullout starts this month.
A battalion-sized force composed of 500 to 600 men was initially pulled out from the three-hectare complex straddling several towns of Maguindanao and North Cotabato Saturday but military officials said it is just part of the regular repositioning of troops.
At least 2,000 troops have been stationed in the complex since February last year.
The government and the MILF panel are expected to resume talks in Kuala Lumpur in April.
Arroyo announced the two panels have also agreed on the deployment of a foreign monitoring team and to ask for the support of the World Bank and the international donor community in the assessment phase of the multi-donor trust fund that will finance rehabilitation and development projects in conflict-stricken areas once a peace accord is signed.
Deles, meanwhile, said in a radio interview that the talks might resume earlier than April once the foreign monitoring team arrives and agrees to the inputs in the proposed Terms of Reference of the negotiations. JMR
(February 23, 2004 issue)
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