MILF warns young Moros against fake police recruiters

MANILA, Philippines - Unscrupulous individuals have been monitored to be cashing in on the framework agreement signed between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) by recruiting would-be members of the proposed Bangsamoro police force for a fee.

This came to the attention of the MILF leadership, prompting the group to issue an advisory yesterday warning young Moros against being duped by fake police recruiters posing as MILF officials.

The warning came as the MILF is currently actively campaigning on the grassroots level on the importance of the recently signed framework agreement to the Bangsamoro’s desire to live in peace and harmony in Mindanao.

“How could the MILF recruit policemen when the issue of policing is yet to be discussed by the parties this month in Kuala Lumpur?” said Jun Mantawil, head of the MILF peace panel secretariat.

The syndicate reportedly is enticing young Moros to apply for membership in the proposed Bangsamoro police, then charging them P500 each after they have accomplished a supposed application form.

Applicants were also promised by the syndicate of a sure slot in the Bangsamoro police if they pay P2,000.

“Most cases of this false recruitment were reported in Zamboanga and Sulu. Similar incidents were also reported in Tawi-Tawi,” Mantawil said.

He said while policing is part of the normalization process, the government and the MILF have agreed to form another technical working group for this issue.

He also admitted that policing was one of the most contentious issues tackled by both parties during the Oct. 1-7 negotiation in Kuala Lumpur.

Before the deal was clinched, Mantawil bared the government peace panel wanted policing as fully nationalized while the MILF wanted control over it, in order to protect the lives and properties of the Moros after the decommissioning of the MILF combatants, which is also covered by the forged framework agreement.

The issue was settled after both parties agreed that members of the Bangsamoro police would be recruited from among the people in the Bangsamoro territory, whose interests, Mantawil said, is to serve the people wholeheartedly.

He said the government had, in fact, sent a delegation to Navarra, Spain to observe and learn how the police is run and handled by the regional entity.