BARMM, Basilan governor embark on housing for ex-Abu terrorists
TIMRA Reports • 21:00 PM Mon Aug 7, 2023
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By:
John Felix Unson
The memorandum of agreement for the housing project was forged last Friday. (From Basilan Governor's Office)
COTABATO CITY - The Bangsamoro government and the office of the governor of Basilan are to initially construct 39 houses for reforming former members of the Abu Sayyaf terror group who are now being reintroduced to mainstream society.
Basilan Gov. Jim Hataman Salliman said Monday he and Bangsamoro Local Government Minister Naguib Gani Sinarimbo signed last Friday a memorandum of agreement (MOA) binding their offices to cooperate in implementing the housing project in the province.
“We are now in the process of choosing a site for this housing project,” Salliman said.
The Ministry of the Interior and Local Government-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao shall bankroll the project via its Tulong Ng Gobyernong Nagmamalasakit (TUGON) Program, according to Salliman.
The MILG-BARMM’s TUGON program has various capacity-building and community development interventions complementing the normalization agenda of the Mindanao peace process, part of which is a normalization tract for non-members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Richard Gregorio Falcatan, Basilan provincial information officer, said the housing project MOA was signed by Salliman and Sinarimbo during a symbolic rite at the provincial capitol, in the presence of other officials, among them MILG Deputy Minister Ibrahim P. Ibay.