The government’s ceasefire committee is now investigating the alleged training camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front outside Iligan City in Lanao del Norte.
Major Carlos T. Sol, head of secretariat of the government’s Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (GPH-CCCH), confirmed that the office already received the report of the Army’s 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade, Mechanized Infantry Division on the alleged training camp and that it was already validating the report to immediately undertake measures for dismantling.
Sol said the CCCH received the official transmittal from the armed forces on Friday and they are “currently conducting validation procedure.”
The CCCH was created to monitor the implementation of the long-standing ceasefire between the GPH and the MILF. The body is also tasked to resolve ceasefire violation complaints in order to prevent conflict escalation and ceasefire breakdown.
Colonel Gilbert Gapay, commander of the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade, said he crafted the recommendation due to a complaint filed by Deodato S. Abugan Sr., a chieftain of the Higaonon tribe. The said complaint also cited continued recruitment and the conduct of military-like training exercises by the MILF. Lanao del Norte-based 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion made the alleged pictures of the training camp public, which is not among the several MILF camps recognized under the peace agreement with the government.
