Anti-money laundering thrusts in Maguindanao del Sur gain support

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Various sectors have assured support for the government’s anti-money laundering thrusts in Maguindanao del Sur province, partly meant to stop circulation of funds for terrorism and other organized crimes, including trafficking of narcotics.

Radio reports on Sunday stated that the Department of Justice, Maguindanao del Sur Gov. Mariam Mangudadatu, Bangsamoro Regional State Prosecutor Rohaira Lao and officials of police units in the province cooperated in facilitating in General Santos City, from September 10 to 12, a workshop on detection and investigation of money-laundering cases for law-enforcement agents based in Maguindanao del Sur.

Mangudadatu, now in her second term as governor, is chairperson of the inter-agency, multi-sector Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Peace and Order Council, credited by the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) and the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6th ID) for every feat achieved in joint police, Army and cross-section security efforts in her province.

Members of the Islamic religious community in Central Mindanao and the chairman of the Bangsamoro Business Council (BBC), the entrepreneur-lawyer Ronald Hallid Torres, had relayed to reporters that they shall support the government's anti-money laundering campaign in Maguindanao del Sur and in other provinces around.

“We don’t have a problem cooperating with that good initiative of the provincial and municipal officials in Maguindanao del Sur, the justice department, the police and other state law-enforcement outfits,” Torres, BBC chairman, said.

Among the participants to the three-day anti-money laundering workshop are officials of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao led by its regional director, Gil Cesario Castro.

In a message before workshop participants and facilitators, Assistant Justice Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano IV appreciated the  commitment of the Maguindanao del Sur provincial governor to the government's anti-money laundering campaign in Central Mindanao.

Brig. Gen. Prexy Tanggawohn, director of PRO-BAR, told reporters on Sunday that he and officials of the Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Police Office shall help push the anti-money laundering efforts in the province of the Maguindanao del Sur provincial government and the DOJ.

“That will boost our peace and security programs in the province,” Tanggawohn said.

The commander of 6th ID, Major Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, said he has directed the intelligence officials of all of their units in Maguindanao del Sur to support the program. 

Nafarrete said such an initiative is an added strength for the multi-sector, inter-agency campaign to "nip from the bud" the few remaining members of local terrorist groups operating in Central Mindanao.

The 6th ID, PRO-BAR and the Maguindanao del Sur provincial government had reintroduced to mainstream society more than 200 former members of the allies Dawlah Islamiya and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, who surrendered in batches in the past 24 months through the intercession of provincial and municipal officials, traditional Moro leaders and peace advocacy blocs in the province.