THE Joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation for Hostilities (JCCCH) and Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) led the conduct of the Joint Peace Advocacy in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay.
The Army’s 1st Infantry Division said in a statement Thursday, March 4, 2021, said Joint Peace advocacy was held Tuesday in Datu Tumanggong village, Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay.
It said the Joint Peace Advocacy was organized to respond to the request of the members of the MILF for the conduct of special voters’ registration for the MILF community in Datu Tumanggog, with the intent to exercise their rights to vote in the future.
Brigadier General Antonio Nafarrete, GPH-CCCH chairperson, expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and the full support and commitment of the MILF members in the transformation process to live normal lives as Filipinos.
“We have talked with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the local government unit (LGU) to assist us in this endeavor as we continue to follow the mechanisms until such time that we have achieved the full normalization process,” said Nafarrete, who is also the the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) deputy commander.
Meanwhile, Lawyer Wilfred Jay Balisado, Comelec regional director, has assured the MILF community in Tungawan for their full cooperation.
“Being a registered voter is one step for us to be closer to the government and be part of the government,” Balisado said.
During the peace advocacy, Malik Caril, MILF-CCCH member, discussed the current status and updates of the ongoing decommissioning efforts and the path to normalization of the MILF members outside the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.
“Let us continue to strengthen our communication and relationships as partners for peace as we continue to promote development in your communities and transform as productive members of the society,” said Brigadier General Leonel Nicolas, 102nd Infantry Brigade commander.
“Just like how you have opened your doors to us, I am also opening the doors of the 102nd Infantry Brigade,” Nicolas added.
Suab Idris, MILF 113rd Base Command head, enjoined his former comrades to continue to support the peace agreement with the government. (SunStar Zamboanga)