THE separatist group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has suspended the decommissioning of its remaining 14,000 combatants, citing the Philippine government’s failure to meet key provisions of the 2014 peace agreement.
The MILF Central Committee made the decision during a meeting on July 19 at Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte. The resolution was officially disclosed on Saturday, July 26.
According to the measure signed by MILF chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim and Secretary Muhammad Ameen, decommissioning will only proceed once the government shows “substantial compliance” with the normalization commitments, especially the delivery of socio-economic support for the 26,145 combatants already decommissioned.
“It is hereby resolved that the decommissioning of the remaining 14,000 MILF combatants and 2,450 weapons shall commence only upon the substantial compliance of the GPH (Government of the Philippines) in the other tracks of normalization, including the provision of socio-economic package as agreed upon by the GPH and MILF Peace Implementing Panels to the 26,145 combatants.” The resolution read.
The Manila Standard sought comments from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Unity and Reconciliation under Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., but got no reply as of press time.
MILF peace panel spokesperson Datuan Magon Jr. explained that the disarmament process must align with other normalization elements, particularly the socio-economic aspects of a peace accord.
“It would be difficult for us if the government almost finished the decommissioning process but other components for normalization were not yet moving/ Section C, Item 9 of the Annex explicitly states that disarmament should happen in tandem with the fulfilment of other peace deal commitments.” Magon said.
Section C Item 9 of the normalization annex states that the decommissioning of MILF forces should be parallel and commensurate to the implementation of the agreements of the parties.
So far, 65 percent of MILF’s estimated 40,000 fighters—totalling 26,145 individuals—have been decommissioned. However, the MILF Central Committee noted that these former combatants have yet to successfully transition into civilian life, as promised interventions have not been delivered, apart from a one-time P100,000 payment per person.
The Annex on Normalization forms part of the broader Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB), which along with the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), concluded 17 years of peace talks between the government and the MILF in 2014.
The normalization included multiple components: policing, troop redeployment, disbanding private armed groups, socio-economic development, unexploded ordnance clearance, transitional justice, camp transformation, and amnesty for conflict-related offenses.
The phased decommissioning process began in 2015 under then President Benigno Aquino III with 145 combatants and 75 weapons. It continued in 2019 and 2021 under then President Rodrigo Duterte, covering another 26,000+ fighters and over 4,000 weapons.
The process is overseen by the Independent Decommissioning Body composed of representatives from Turkey (as chair), Norway, Brunei, and both the Philippine government and the MILF.
Ebrahim reiterated that the final phase—covering 14,000 remaining combatants and 2,450 weapons—will proceed once the government fulfils its obligations under the normalization framework.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “MILF halts decommissioning of 14k fighters”
