Army shifts from law enforcement to peace building in Maguindanao

CAMP SIONGCO,
Maguindanao (April 4)– With the lawless elements neutralized,” the military has shifted
its campaign to peace and development of Maguindanao, the Army here said.

A day after
the government terminated its all-out law enforcement operations against
outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), the Army and the
government focused its energy to the development of conflict affected
communities.

A ground breaking
ceremony was formally held in Mamasapano, Maguindanao for the P10-million steel
foot bridge project to replace the wooden bridge in Barangay Tukanalipao after
it became known following the January 25 bloody encounter between the Police
Special Action Force members and the Moro armed groups.

The ground breaking
ceremony was led by Department of Budget and Management Secretary Florencio
Butch” Abad, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Gregorio
P. Catapang Jr, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor Mujiv S. Hataman,
6th Infantry Commander Maj General Edmundo R. Pangilinan, and Moro Islamic
Liberation Front spokesperson Vol Al Haq.

During the
program, Secretary Abad said the project will change the image of Mamasapano
from a place of tragedy into a progressive town. He also said that the various
projects together with ARMM will be funded as part of the peace and development
initiatives of the government.

The projects
to be implemented are a number of mosques, various school buildings, road and
livelihood projects that will benefit the communities within the SPMS box and
its adjacent areas.

Following the
announcement of the conclusion of the all-out offensive of the AFP, General
Catapang said that there will still be continuous conduct of a focused military
operation.

Various peace
infrastructure projects will be built in conflict areas of Maguindanao wherein
the military forces will lead its implementation.

Before I vow
out of service in the military, I desire for peace and prosperity in Mindanao,”
the AFP Chief said.

The bridge
will be called the bridge of peace” that will benefit the people.

The
government is very optimistic that the said project will bring peace and
development in the area and will help bring back normalcy in the lives of the
people,” Hataman said.

After the
ceremony, General Catapang led the awarding ceremony of deserving Officers and
Enlisted Personnel of Task Force Central who risked their lives during the
month-long law enforcement operations against the BIFF at the old Provincial
Capitol in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao.

During the
ceremonies, Catapang directed the ground troops that law enforcement operations
will continue but on a difference level and simultaneous with the peace and
development initiatives of the government.

Pangilinan, 6thID chief and head of Task
Force Central, said former strongholds of the BIFF will be transformed into a
developed communities with government forces providing security to the people.

Presence of
the troops will however be maximized in the areas identified to be former
strongholds of the bandit group BIFF to disallow them from coming back.” Maj
Gen Pangilinan said.

These troops
will eventually help in the construction of the different peace and development
projects that will be implemented for the people in the affected areas.” he
added.

Marking the
shift in the tempo of the operations are the different ground breaking
activities of the infrastructure projects that will be funded by the Government
of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao headed by Regional Governor Mujiv S
Hataman.

Two schools
are expected to be operational by the last week of May and a mosque will be
ready for the use of the residents of Tukanalipao of Mamasapano town during the
Ramadan season this year.

One of the
schools is located at Barangay Bakat, Rajah Buayan town in Maguindanao which
will cater about 600 hundred students and will be constructed with the help of
the Local Government of Rajah Buayan Municipality.

The other
school is located at Barangay Meta, Datu Unsay town which is also expected to
cater about 1,000 students by the opening of this school year.

Pangilinan
said the Army Engineers will help the Joint Task Force Central troops in the
implementation of the said projects.

Pangilinan
said the more than a month operation is expected to result in a more peaceful
and progressive community in Maguindanao Province as the bandits are already at
its weakest and more projects will be constructed that will benefit the locals. (Edwin Fernandez)