COTABATO CITY – A rival rebel group has criticized the Moro Islamic Liberation Front for the decommissioning of its weapons on Tuesday and said leaders of the MILF have virtually surrendered to the Philippine government.
Abu Misri Mama, a spokesman for the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF), said many of the MILF members have already joined their group which is fighting for independence in southern Philippines.
The BIFF was founded by Ameril Umra Kato, a senior leader of the MILF who split after accusing its chieftain Murad Ebrahim of abandoning their struggle. Kato had died from a heart attack and left the BIFF in fragments and without a unifying leader, although it continues to attack military targets in the restive region of Mindanao.
The MILF has decommissioned more than 100 weapons, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns in a symbolic ceremony inside a former rebel camp in Sultan Kudarat town.
Mama said they will continue their struggle for independence in Mindanao.
The MILF signed a peace deal with the Aquino government last year and part of the accord is the decommissioning of its weapons. The MILF has thousands of weapons and munitions in their arsenal and the government said it would pay for them and even offered livelihood air for rebels to ensure they return to the folds of the law. (Mindanao Examiner)
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