ZAMBOANGA CITY, 14 November 2005 — Brunei’s military commander has urged the Philippine government and the country’s largest separatist group not to let peace slip from their hands, Arab News learned yesterday.
Maj. Gen. Dato’ Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Moh’d Yusof arrived in the southern province of Maguindanao at the weekend and inspected a multinational team monitoring the truce between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
“Yusof expressed his country’s desire to see a lasting settlement of the decades-old problem in Mindanao,” MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu told Arab News.
“Brunei is one of many countries who are strongly supporting the peace process in Mindanao. It’s officials are optimistic that peace we would soon have lasting peace,” he added.
In Maguindanao, Yusof met with government and rebel peace negotiators and security officials where he was briefed about the progress of the peace talks.
He was the highest Bruneian official to visit Mindanao since Manila opened peace talks with the MILF in 2001.
Brunei, along with Libya and Malaysia, composed the 64-member international truce monitoring team deployed since last year in Mindanao, he said.
Yusof also inspected the team’s headquarters in Cotabato City and spoke with other members of the truce monitors.
Last month, a group of senior Brunei security officials, led by Col. Pengiran Haji Rosli bin Pengiran Haji Chuchu, commander of the Royal Brunei Land Force, also inspected the truce observers in Maguindanao, a known stronghold of the MILF in the southern region.
Malaysia also earlier expressed optimism that Manila and the MILF would be able to strike a peace agreement next year.
Kuala Lumpur is brokering the peace talks in an effort to end more than three decades of fighting in Mindanao.
“We hope that in 2006, the peace process in Mindanao island can be realized,” said Malaysia’s Defense Forces chief, Admiral Tan Sri Mohamed Anwar Nor.
He said the cease-fire accord, signed in 2001, between government and rebel leaders were holding.
“The Malaysian and Brunei armed forces can do a good job in monitoring the cease-fire which has been a long-standing problem in Mindanao,” said Mohamed Anwar.
Kabalu reiterated the MILF’s commitment to resolve the conflict peacefully.
“The foundation of the peace talks is strong and the MILF is hoping that peace will soon reign Mindanao,” Kabalu said.
Renegades
Meanwhile, police yesterday said 10 renegade members of the MILF have been arrested for their alleged participation in the pillage of Siocon town of Zamboanga del Norte in May 2003.
Police said the alleged rebels were captured at a checkpoint in Zamboanga City on their way to Zamboanga Sibugay province in the west.
Brig. Gen. Mohamad bin Dolorfino, head of government’s ad hoc joint action group negotiating peace with the MILF, said five of those arrested are facing a string of criminal charges. “ They are now under investigation,” he said in an interview.
The MILF has not issued any statement on the arrest.
