Neutral group to index Islamist weapons

MANILA (PNA) – An independent decommissioning body will be created in the inventory of firearms of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the implementation of the security component of normalization, according to Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, chair of the government peace panel negotiating with the Muslim rebel group.

The Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the MILF ended their 35th Formal Exploratory Talks held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from Jan. 21-25, 2013.

“In the arrangement, we will create a decommissioning body—-a body that’s going to be an independent body that will see through, first of all, the kind of inventory that would have to be in place, and the program for the eventual decommissioning of both combatants and weapons,” Ferrer said during a video conference with reporters at the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) in Ortigas Center in suburban Pasig City on Saturday.

During the video conference Ferrer and members of the government peace panel and their MILF counterparts were at the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur for the exploratory talks. Malaysia has been acting as third country facilitator in the ongoing peace process.

When asked about the number of firearms involved in the decommissioning, Ferrer said, “We do not have the figures yet. That’s a matter that’s going to be determined precisely in the implementation of the security components of normalization.”

“Of course our AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) has its estimates, but that’s a matter that shall be mutually determined by both parties with the help of an independent body, an independent decommissioning body,” she added.

Ferrer said that the composition and the functions of the decommissioning body are still being worked out at the level of the Technical Working Group (TWG), “So for now we are guided with only what you will find in the Framework Agreement and that is the fact that we will put up this independent body that will assist in the decommissioning process.”

However, Ferrer explained that “the laying down of arms, which we of course do not equate with surrender because this is a negotiated process, it’s a process that is going to be a gradual and phased process, which will be accompanied by the political components, the political commitments of both parties, as well as the creation of a stable, safe, and secure environment on the ground, so in terms of an overall time frame what we can say is that complete decommissioning shall happen upon the completion of all the other elements of the Framework Agreement and the annexes.”

Negotiations between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the MILF have been in progress and both peace panels described the 35th formal exploratory talks as a milestone with the signing of the Terms of Reference for the Third Party Monitoring Team (TPMT).

The TPMT is the body that will review, assess, evaluate and monitor the implementation of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and its Annexes, according to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).

The two peace panels are expected to identify the members of the TPMT within one month.