MILF Stands Firm on Normalization Compliance
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has declared it will not proceed with the decommissioning of its remaining 14,000 combatants until the government substantially complies with the Annex on Normalization provisions in their 2014 peace agreement. This move reflects MILF’s insistence on the government fulfilling its commitments before further disarmament.
The MILF’s central committee made this decision during a meeting at Camp Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao del Norte on July 19, sources said. The key phrase Annex on Normalization underscores the essential agreement section guiding the peace process.
According to the resolution signed by MILF chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim and secretary Muhammad Ameen, the decommissioning of the remaining 14,000 combatants and 2,450 weapons will only start once the government shows substantial progress in other normalization tracks, especially providing socio-economic packages for all combatants.
Socio-Economic Packages as a Priority
Ebrahim emphasized the importance of genuine socio-economic interventions for combatants before moving forward with further decommissioning. “To be true to the letter and spirit of the Annex on Normalization, there should be some showing of substantial compliance of the socio-economic interventions for combatants profiled for decommissioning before other combatants were even made to undergo the initial steps towards decommissioning,” he stated.
The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Unity, and Reconciliation, led by Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., has yet to respond to this development as of the latest reports.
Decommissioning Process and Its Challenges
Datuan Magon Jr., spokesperson for the MILF peace implementing panel, clarified that the decommissioning process will continue only after the government substantially implements the normalization components, particularly the socio-economic aspects. “The decommissioning of MILF forces should be parallel and commensurate…We are looking into that aspect because it would be difficult for us if the government almost finish the decommissioning process but other components for normalization were not yet moving,” he explained.
The Annex on Normalization’s Section C Item 9 explicitly states that decommissioning must align with the implementation of all agreed tracks. So far, 26,145 MILF combatants—about 65 percent of the 40,000-strong force—have been decommissioned.
Despite this, the MILF Central Committee expressed concern that none of the decommissioned combatants have successfully transitioned to productive civilian life. Apart from the one-time cash assistance of PHP 100,000 per combatant, other promised interventions remain unfulfilled.
Understanding the Annex on Normalization
The Annex on Normalization is an essential part of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB), which itself is a key component of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). The CAB was signed in 2014 after 17 years of peace talks between the Philippine government and the MILF.
This annex covers several crucial tracks, including policing reforms, troop redeployment from conflict areas, disbandment of private armed groups, socio-economic development, clearance of unexploded ordnances, transitional justice, reconciliation, camp transformation, and amnesty processes for those involved in the conflict.
Under the normalization track, the MILF agreed to a graduated program for decommissioning its forces to ensure they are permanently put beyond use.
Phases of MILF Decommissioning
The decommissioning process began in phases as a goodwill gesture. In 2015, during the administration of the late President Benigno Aquino III, 145 combatants and 75 weapons were deactivated. The second phase started in 2019 with 12,000 combatants and 2,100 weapons decommissioned under former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The third phase, also under Duterte’s term, began in November 2021 with the deactivation of 14,000 combatants and 2,450 weapons. The Philippine government and the MILF jointly created the Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB), chaired by Turkey alongside Norway and Brunei, with representatives from both parties to oversee the process.
Looking Ahead: Conditions for Further Decommissioning
Ebrahim reassured that the remaining 14,000 combatants and 2,450 weapons will be decommissioned once the government fulfills its substantial obligations under the Annex on Normalization, especially those related to socio-economic provisions. This cautious approach reflects the MILF’s commitment to ensuring peace is accompanied by meaningful support for combatants transitioning to civilian life.
For more news and updates on MILF decommissioning process, visit Filipinokami.com.
