Decommissioning of 12,000 MILF fighters complete

MANILA, Philippines — The second phase of the decommissioning of 12,000 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants has been completed, according to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).  

The decommissioning of MILF fighters is among the key provisions of the annex on Normalization of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. 

The OPAPP said each decommissioned combatant received a total of P100,000 in transitory cash assistance.  

The former MILF fighters received P80,000 under the Bangsamoro transitory family support package and P20,000 from the livelihood settlement grant, which was created in partnership between the OPAPP and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.  

At least 98.29 percent or 11,795 of the decommissioned combatants are male while 1.71 percent or 205 belonged to the Bangsamoro Islamic Womens’ Auxilliary Brigade.

The former combatants turned over 2,100 assorted weapons and more than 500 bullets and other types of ammunition to the Independent Decommissioning Body.

The decommissioned fighters comprise 30 percent of the total number of MILF members.  

Another 30 percent will be decommissioned within the year.

The rest will undergo the process until 2022 with the signing of the exit agreement between the government and the MILF.