12,000 MILF fighters decommissioned today

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — In another step toward lasting peace in Mindanao, President Duterte will lead today the decommissioning of 12,000 fighters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) or 30 percent of the 40,000 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces.

The decommissioning ceremony will be held at the old capitol building in Barangay Simuay, Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao this afternoon.

The President said he would be joined by officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the Office of the Presidential Assistant on Peace, Reconciliation this afternoon. 

Each decommissioned MILF fighter will receive P100,000 in cash as well as livelihood assistance. Their  families will get P500,000 to P1 million in housing, scholarships and healthcare among other aid.

Also to be decommissisoned are the weapons and several camps of MILF guerrillas.

The decommissioning is part of the normalization process of the peace talks and is seen to transform former combatants to productive members of the society.

Members of an independent  decommissioning body, including three foreign experts designated by the MILF and government, will carry out the process.