MNLF: MILF leader, men defect over turnover of guns

MANILA, Philippines - A top field commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and his men defected to the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), as they oppose the proposed turnover of their firearms under the peace agreement with the government.

MNLF central committee political director Haji Gaful Hadjirul said an MILF commander he identified as Uztad Zamsodin and over a thousand of his men had taken their oath of allegiance to the MNLF in ceremonies held somewhere in Central Mindanao.

“Zamsodin, a legendary Moro warrior, and his men are now back to the mainstream MNLF,” Hadjirul said.

Hadjirul said news of the disarmament of MILF members has triggered an exodus of hardcore rebels who refused to yield their guns to the government.

“A Moro warrior would rather die than surrender his firearm,” he said.

According to Hadjirul, other MILF commanders also sent feelers to rejoin the mainstream rebel group from various parts of Mindanao.

The Annex on Normalization in the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) signed last month by the government and the MILF deals with decommissioning the armed wing of the MILF and outlines the steps to disarm private armies in the proposed Bangsamoro area.

The decommissioning means the armed combatants of the MILF should turn over their weapons to a third party agreed upon by both panels.

Hadjirul gave assurance that the MNLF would continue to pursue its goals through peaceful means even with the defection of the MILF combatants to their ranks.

MNLF spokesman Emmanuel Fontanilla said the defection of MILF rebels is expected because a firearm is a symbol of “maritabat” (pride and freedom) of a Moro warrior.

“For centuries Moro warriors (have carried) their guns; you take that away and you take their pride and freedom,” he said.

Fontanilla said the 1996 peace agreement of the MNLF with the government has fully recognized the Moro tradition of keeping a gun for security reasons.– With Edith Regalado, John Unson