MILF cash grant anomaly probed

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) will investigate allegations of irregularities in the cash assistance given to decommissioned Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members.

Presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., whose agency is overseeing the implementation of the country’s comprehensive peace process, said the OPAPRU will conduct its own thorough investigation into allegations of anomalies in the decommissioning process.

“This government shall not tolerate any act of corruption or irregular transactions, more so those that undermine the well-being of our MILF brothers and sisters. Rest assured that this isolated incident will be thoroughly investigated and will be brought to the attention of the MILF leadership,” Galvez said.

He made the statement after three decommissioned MILF combatants aired their complaints to Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada and Galvez during the hearing on the decommissioning process called by the Senate committee on national defense and security, peace unification and reconciliation.

The complainants alleged that 50 percent of the P100,000 cash assistance for decommissioned MILF fighters were allegedly diverted to their former commanders.

Estrada and Galvez advised the complainants to submit an affidavit to the Senate to formalize their allegations and state specific claims, which will serve as basis for the conduct of a formal investigation.

During the hearing, Mahajirin Ali, MILF’s peace implementing panel secretariat, emphasized that the MILF leadership will never tolerate such illicit acts.

For his part, Cesar Yano, the government’s peace panel implementing chair, said he had raised this concern to his counterpart, Muslim region Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal.