Former MILF guerrillas eyed as CAFGU members

MARAWI CITY — President Arroyo, who is wrapping up her week-long Mindanao trip with a visit to historic Butuan City today, has "approved in principle" the integration of former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels into the Civilian Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU), a Philippine National Police official said.

Deputy Director General Virtus Gil, PNP operations chief, told The STAR that instead of just letting the former MILF combatants forage for their living after surrendering to the government, they might as well be tapped to secure their communities from their former MILF comrades and criminal elements.

Gil made the proposal during the PNP command conference with the President in Zamboanga City.

He also disclosed that Mrs. Arroyo similarly approved in principle an increase in the monthly honorarium of CAFGU members from P1,800 to P3,500, especially for former MILF guerrillas who will be tapped as militiamen.

Once integrated into the CAFGU, the former separatist rebels will be trained, provided uniforms and deployed in their hometowns.

Local police or military units will have direct supervision over them to prevent politicians from employing them as bodyguards or goons.

"If we can do this with the MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front), there is no reason we cannot do with the MILF," Gil said.

Following the signing of the final peace agreement with the MNLF on Sept. 2, 1996, some 1,500 former MNLF fighters were integrated into the PNP and 5,500 into the Armed Forces.

To prevent the integrated former MILF rebels from committing atrocities in places outside their assigned areas, Gil said they will be properly documented and accounted for.

Gil added that they will be held accountable should their former MILF comrades encroach on their turfs and commit atrocities there.

Gil formally accepted some 156 MILF rebels in a simple formal surrender ceremony at Camp Ranao in Marawi City last Saturday, just hours ahead of the President’s visit.

The rebels, led by Maonara Aziz alias Commander Sultan, came from the Lanao del Sur towns of Malabang, Sultan Gumander, Kalanugas, Marogong, Tubaran, Pagayawan, Balabagan and Kapatagan and the Maguindanao towns of Parang, Buldon, Barira and Matanog. They yielded 56 firearms.

Superintendent Salik Macapantol of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police facilitated their surrender.

Gil prodded the rebel returnees to convince their local commanders to also return to the fold of the law and give up their armed struggle for an independent Islamic state in Mindanao.