By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan – PNA News
MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) welcomed the visit of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim to the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday.
“It’s good that (MILF) chief Murad visited to collaborate to ensure the holding of plebiscite for Bangsamoro will be peaceful and orderly that’s a good development. Alam po natin na merong batas ngayon (We all know that there is a law), the Bangsamoro Organic Law. It is the result of a peace agreement between the government of Philippines and the MILF. There’s a peace agreement and a plebiscite January next year,” PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Benigno Durana told reporters in a press briefing when sought for a comment.
When asked on the role of the PNP in establishing the Bangsamoro entity pursuant to the law, Durana said the police force will be involved in the creation of joint peace and security teams, which will address security issues such as crime and private armed groups, among others.
On Monday, the MILF chair expressed his overwhelming gratitude for being honored at the AFP headquarters.
Murad, however, clarified that MILF never considered the AFP or any soldier as their enemy and emphasized that their enemies are oppression and injustice.
AFP chief-of-staff, Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., earlier said the visit of Murad and his party to Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City highlights the strong trust and confidence of the MILF leadership to the AFP and the national government.
Murad’s visit reciprocates the earlier visit of Galvez and ranking military officials to the MILF’s Camp in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao where they both declared the end of the war between the AFP and the MILF.
