AFP: No plan to pull out troops outside Mindanao conflict zones

MANILA, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines leadership has no plan to reposition its forces outside of the so-called conflict zones of Mindanao even if the stalled peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) pushes through.

Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta, AFP spokesman, said that while the military is looking forward for the peaceful and final settlement of the decades-old conflict in the entire region, it must always be ready for any eventuality.

“In that part of the country, we have the biggest military force but there is no need to reposition them out of probable conflict areas even if their is an ongoing peace talks,” Mabanta said.

The non pull-out of the military forces from the so-called conflict zones, the military leadership has apparently learned their lesson from the August 2008 MILF’s launching of a full scale offensive in Central Mindanao following the collapse of the Kuala Lumpur-sponsored peace talks with the non-signing of the controversial Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) after it was declared illegal by the Supreme Court.

This move (no pull out of troops), Mabanta said should not be treated as a big issue because of the prevailing ceasefire agreement between government for­ces and the MILF fighters.

“We are confident past hostilities that transpired in 2008 will not happen again. However we are prepared for any eventuality. We would like to stress further that with the advent of the new administration right now, is riding on high popularity and mandate and it’s not only the government which is hopeful that everything will turn out right. I’m sure the leadership of MILF has similar thinking,” Mabanta said.

As this developed, the MILF announced yesterday the creation of its own newly reconstituted peace panel under the chairmanship of Mohagher Iqbal.

Considered a hardliner, Iqbal also the MILF’s information chief, is joined by Michael Mastura, Bobby Alonto, Abdullah Camlian and Abhoud Syed Lingga.

Of the four, only Lingga is the new face in the MILF peace panel, as Iqbal, Mastura and Alonto were also former members of the peace panel along with Camlian as alternate panel member.

– With Alexis Romero