MILF, GRP panels to help in Balikatan info drive

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) ceasefire panel will help in the information drive on the conduct of the RP-US Balikatan 2008 in known MILF areas in Mindanao.

This developed as a unit of the US National Guard is set to leave Monday for a training exercise in the Philippines, the first time New Mexico guard troops will visit the Pacific islands since World War II.

The coordination between the MILF and the GRP was contained in a joint statement issued by the GRP-MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) during its monthly regular and tripartite meetings with the International Monitoring Team (IMT) over the weekend here.

The joint statement, signed by Brig. Gen. Reynaldo Sealana and Von Alhaq of the MILF, “agreed to maximize the coordination and information drive on the conduct of Balikatan 2008 in line with the guidelines of the GRP-MILF peace process.”

This came about after reports cited that several areas in Central Mindanao, including Sulu, Basilan, and Palawan, will benefit from the humanitarian exercises to be conducted by Filipino and American troops from Feb. 18 to March 3.

The MILF has a heavy presence of forces and civilian communities in Central Mindanao, and partly in Basilan, and Palawan.

Alhaq said they have military and political components in Palawan and Sulu.

“We have agreed that sufficient information on this Balikatan will be provided by our counterpart (GRP) so that once and for all we can inform our field commanders,” Alhaq said.

Some sectors in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur have protested the staging of Balikatan 2008 in their areas.

In a statement, the US Embassy, however, said that the during Balikatan 2008, Philippine and US members of the armed forces will conduct humanitarian assistance projects in Central and Western Mindanao, Sulu archipelago and Palawan.

The Filipino and US military participants will hold free medical and dental services, veterinary care, and construction and repair of schools and other community infrastructure.

The field and staff training exercise will be staged in Luzon and Palawan areas.

Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 200th Infantry, based in Las Cruces, will also participate in the Balikatan 2008 Training Exercise later this month. The unit is commanded by Lt. Col. Marc Arellano.

New Mexico has a special connection to the Philippines because of the infamous Bataan Death March, which included captured troops from the New Mexico National Guard’s 200th Coast Artillery.

Some 70,000 American and Filipino troops who surrendered to Japanese forces on the Bataan Peninsula in April 1942 were forced to march 65 miles without food or water to prison camps.

Those who collapsed along the way were shot or bayoneted. About 1,800 of the captives were from New Mexico; fewer than 900 of those men survived the march or the following years in prison camps.

“It’s a historic event,” Arellano said. “We feel proud and honored to be able to represent the New Mexico National Guard and our Bataan veterans by attending this training exercise. We look forward to re-establishing our ties with the Philippine people.” – With AP