Senate orders gov't peace panel: Obtain MILF report on Mamasapano incident

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate has adopted a resolution directing the government's peace negotiating panel to request and secure from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) a copy of its investigation report on the Mamasaspano incident that resulted in the death of 44 elite police commandos.

The Senate Resolution 1240, which was introduced by Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is asking the government peace panel to obtain the copy of the report from the international monitoring team of the peace negotiations or from the MILF leadership.

“We have already read the other reports. We also need to see the MILF investigation report so we will know what really happened,” Marcos said during plenary.

Senate Resolution 1240 expresses the “sense of the Senate” to request the peace negotiating panel to secure the MILF report from Malaysia or the International Monitoring Team.

The MILF conducted its own investigation on the Mamasapano incident after it was accused of violating the peace agreement that it entered into with the government.

“There are reports that the MILF Report will be submitted to the Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team (IMT) composed of representatives from Japan, Indonesia and Brunei and supported by the United States and the European Union,” the resolution said.

“For full transparency and accountability, there is a crucial need for the Philippine Government to be properly informed of the full investigation report of the MILF in order to strengthen the ceasefire mechanisms that may be included in the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law pending in Congress,” the resolution added.

Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Local Governments, said his committee will resume deliberations on the Bangsamoro Basic Law on April 13 but only the MILF report reaches the Senate.

“I have scheduled the hearing April 13 to specifically look at the ceasefire mechanisms in case of encounters like what happened in Mamasapano,”  Marcos said.