Cotabato governor, military to expand domestic peace programs

KIDAPAWAN CITY — The chairperson of the Cotabato Provincial Peace and Order Council (CPOC) and senior Philippine Army officials agreed on Tuesday to expand cooperation in sustaining the noticeable peace in the province, touted as the new investment hub of Region 12.

Gov. Emmylou Mendoza, who is chairperson of the CPOC, Lt. Gen. William Gonzales of the Western Mindanao Command and Major Gen. Alex Rillera, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, had also reached a consensus, during a dialogue at the provincial capitol in Barangay Amas in Kidapawan, to maximize local civil-military programs supporting Malacañang’s peace overtures with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front.

The MNLF and the MILF have separate peace agreements with the national government. Both groups have enclaves in a number of towns in Cotabato province.

The peace and security programs of the administration of Mendoza, who is chairperson of the multi-sector and inter-agency Regional Peace and Order Council-12, also encompasses the 63 Bangsamoro barangays in different towns in her province.

The 63 predominantly Moro barangays, all suitable for large-scale propagation of Cavendish banana, oil palm, hybrid corn and soya, are under the regional government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, whose humanitarian and security programs Ms. Mendoza’s office is helping push forward. 

“We are thankful to the Cotabato provincial government for supporting the peacebuilding programs of our units in its municipalities,” Gonzales told reporters on Wednesday, referring to the 6th ID and the 602nd Infantry Brigade that covers Cotabato province.

Mendoza said that the visit of Gonzales, Rillera and Brig. Gen. Donald M. Gumiran of the 602nd Infantry Brigade to her office gave her chance to renew her commitment to the Philippine Army’s peace and security thrusts in Cotabato province that has 17 towns and covers more than 40 barangays in its capital, Kidapawan City.

Municipal officials in the province and the office of Mendoza together secured, along with units of the 602nd Infantry Brigade, the surrender in the past 18 months of 268 members of the outlawed Dawlah Islamiya and its allies, the Al-Khobar and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

Rillera said most of the local terrorists and members of the New People’s Army from across Cotabato province who had returned to the fold during the period had been reintroduced to mainstream society with the help of the provincial government and the mayors under its jurisdiction.

“We are confident more of these misguided people still out there will soon surrender too because their former companions are now enjoying peaceful lives, together with their families in their barangays in Cotabato province courtesy of local executives,” Rillera said.