By Priam Nepomuceno – PNA NEWS
MANILA — The visit of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chair Al-Haj Murad Ebrahim in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Monday will further cement the group’s trust in the government and military.
Murad’s visit to Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters is also the first, AFP public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato told reporters Sunday.
“It’s the first visit of Al-Haj Murad to GHQ (General Headquarters) and also his first time to make a call on the CSAFP (Chief-of-Staff AFP Gen, Carlito Galvez, Jr.) The relationship of the MILF and the AFP has evolved for the better,” he added.
Detoyato said that Galvez, as head of the AFP Coordinating Committee of Cessation of Hostilities, has expressed his support to the Bangsamoro Organic Law during his visit to Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao last Oct. 6.
“This reciprocal visit of Al-Haj Murad is to cement the trust that they have on the AFP leadership and the government in general,” the military official added.
Also, AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo confirmed Murad’s first visit to Camp Aguinaldo.
“This is the first time that an MILF chairman sets foot at the AFP’s General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo. And we are very pleased that this is happening at this time of our history as a nation. Now that our economy is picking up and the people wants to have a lasting peace,” he added Sunday.
Murad’s visit also speaks well of the degree of confidence, the level of sincerity, and the extent of trust that both the AFP and the MILF extend to each other.
“If only the CPP-NPA (New People’s Army-Communist Party of the Philippines) can show the same sincerity to the talks and fidelity to the peace agreements that the MILF says and does, we could have a lasting peace to bequeath to the future generation of Filipinos,” he added.
Murad and Galvez is expected to discuss the areas of collaboration that the AFP and the MILF can embark on, apart from combat, intelligence, civil-military operations, Arevalo pointed out
