ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 4 Aug) – The city government has filed a complaint for intrusion against alleged Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members before the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).
Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said Monday they filed the complaint after a group of MILF members led by a certain Bob Jumadil went to Barangay Baluno last July 31 purposely to get samples of mineral products.
Jumadil, according to Salazar, is the MILF’s political committee chairman of this city.
“We have brought once again to the attention of Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process a very disturbing report of intrusion of alleged MILF members in Barangay Baluno in the west coast last July 31,” Salazar said in a press conference.
She added that the MILF members claimed “they were already given the authority to mine in any part of Mindanao.”
She said that OPAPP Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles has asked the government peace panel’s committee on the cessation of hostilities to immediately look into the complaint.
Salazar said Deles has informed her that the secretary has already raised the issue to her MILF counterpart.
Salazar said that Deles has told her such act was “unacceptable and nowhere allowed or authorized under the peace agreement.”
“We will not tolerate such disturbances to the peace process,” Salazar quoted Deles as saying.
“We again stress that Zamboanga City – as well as its 98 barangays, including its municipal waters – is not part and will not be a part of the Bangsamoro territory, and we appeal to all parties to please respect the ongoing finalization of this accord,” Salazar said.
She added she has also asked MILF peace panel chairman Mohagher Iqbal to patrol the ranks of the MILF members “as unauthorized actions by them will … jeopardize the peace process.”
