Maj. Gen. Generoso Senga, 6th ID commander, gave this assessment during a dialogue here the other day with visiting representatives of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) who are evaluating the gains of the Sept. 2, 1996 government-MNLF peace agreement.
Since 1997, the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police have been enlisting qualified MNLF fighters as part of the OIC-brokered peace accord.
About 2,000 former MNLF guerrillas have been integrated, in separate batches, into the regular units of the 6th ID in the past four years.
Senga told the OIC team, led by Mohammad Abdullah of Indonesia and Habib Deeb of Libya, that the MNLF integrees are now performing sensitive peacekeeping missions in different parts of Central Mindanao.
Some of the integrees, according to Senga, are actively involved in humanitarian projects aimed at fostering religious solidarity among the region’s culturally diverse communities.
Also present during the dialogue was Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Parouk Hussin, himself a key MNLF leader.
Senga said the integrees and the regular soldiers of the 6th ID have been complementing each other’s role in maintaining the fragile peace in many areas within the 6th ID’s jurisdiction.
Hussin, the MNLF’s foreign affairs chief, said there are also integrees in the PNP and the Army who are now helping facilitate peace dialogues among different sectors in hostile communities.
Chief Superintendent Acmad Omar, ARMM police director, said he is certain that the OIC representatives were satisfied with how the government has handled the integration of former MNLF combatants into its security forces.
"Not a single complaint was heard by the OIC representatives from the police integrees during the dialogue," Omar said.