MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) stated on Tuesday (30 April 2024) that it perceives no security risks stemming from the assimilation of former members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) into its ranks.
Colonel Jean Fajardo, spokesperson for the PNP, emphasized that the incorporation of 100 former Moro guerrillas, who completed a rigorous six-month field training course to join the PNP, symbolizes their transformed lives and offers them an opportunity to serve their homeland—the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“We are optimistic that their embrace of this life change will serve as an example for their former comrades still engaged in conflict with the government,” Fajardo remarked during a press briefing held at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. presided over the graduation ceremony of the Bangsamoro Police Basic Recruit Course Batch 2023-01 Classes Alpha-Bravo ‘BAKAS-LIPI’ on Monday at Camp Pendatun, Parang town, Maguindanao del Norte. Fajardo underscored the significance of this event, noting that it marks the commencement of reforms, particularly in conflict-prone areas of Mindanao. She highlighted President Marcos Jr.’s acknowledgment in his speech that the integration of former rebels signifies a step towards lasting peace and order in the BARMM.
The first batch of MILF and MNLF applicants, comprising 92 men and eight women, will serve as observers in police stations, where they will be exposed to actual duties and functions such as patrol, traffic management, and investigation as part of the Field Training Program. These new graduates will receive temporary appointments as patrolmen and patrolwomen by the decree of the National Police Commission.
(el Amigo/MNM)
