The government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) kick off Tuesday, June 16, the first phase of the decommissioning program. Here’s what to expect.

What it is: The public event dubbed “Ceremonial Turnover of Weapons and Decommissioning of the MILF Combatants” will be held at the old Maguindanao provincial capitol in Simuay Crossing, Sultan Kudarat.

55 high-powered and 20 crew-serve weapons of the MILF will be registered with and turned over to the International Decommissioning Body (IDB).

Wikipedia: What are crew-serve weapons

Also, 145 combatants from among an estimated 10,000 Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) combatants will be decommissioned, formally commencing their return to full civilian life. The BIAF is the MILF’s armed wing.

Decommissioned combatants will undergo registration, verification, and validation process, after which they will be provided immediate cash assistance amounting to P25,000 and PhilHealth cards.

The decommissioning of 75 weapons and of 145 Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) is part of the normalization program that were listed and to be implemented under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

This is the first of four phases of gradual decommissioning agreed by the government and the MILF contained in the Annex on Normalization, which is part of the (CAB) signed by the parties in March 2014. The parties hope to see MILF forces fully decommissioned after the fourth phase.

Prior to Tuesday’s ceremonies, there will be an initial registration of MILF combatants and weapons in Camp Darapanan, MILF’s main stronghold, also in Sultan Kudarat. The combatants will be filling out forms with the supervision of the IDB local expert from MILF.

The weapons will be transported to the old provincial capitol, the event site, on June 16 for the actual registration process and verification.

Who will be there: It will be attended by no less than President Benigno Simeon Aquino III. Invitations were also sent to legislators from both chambers of Congress and the international community.

This will be President Aquino’s second time to visit Sultan Kudarat municipality in Maguindanao. The first was on February 11, 2013, at the launching of the Sajahatra Bangsamoro, a socio-economic peace initiative of government in partnership with the MILF.

MILF Chair Murad Ebrahim, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos Deles, and members of the government and MILF peace panels will also attend the turnover ceremonies.

Also expected to attend are IDB head Haydar Berk, former Turkish representative to NATO and current advisor of Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other members of IDB: Jan Erik Wilhemsen a retired brigadier general from Norway who was part of UN peacekeeping forces in Honduras, El Salavador, Central Sudan, Nigeria, and Nepal; Major Muhammad Aiman Syazwi Bin Haji Abdul Rahim of the Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF); and local experts: Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Lt. Gen. Rey Ardo, Dr. Mario Aguja, Von Al-Haq and Janati Mimbantas.

Why it is important: The government considers the first phase of the decommissioning process a “strong proof of the MILF’s support and commitment to the peace process aimed at bringing lasting peace and progress to areas covered by the Bangsamoro.”

The decommissioning process aims to “give ex-MILF members the opportunity to engage in livelihood activities and live a peaceful life away from violence.”

What happens next: After processing, the decommissioned weapons will be transported to a mutually agreed upon weapons storage area located inside Camp Iranun in Barira municipality, Maguindanao. The secured area will be monitored by 30 members of the Joint Peace and Security Teams (JPST) who will be supervised by the Joint Verification and Monitoring Team (JVMT) of the IDB.

The JVMT is headed by a foreign, independent expert with a member each from the government and the MILF. Three JVMTs will take turns administering the site round the clock.

The JPST is made up of 15 members from the government army and police, and an equal number from the MILF. Teams of 10 JPST persons each will be on guard duty at all times.

As for the decommissioned MILF combatants, they will also be given medium to long-term socio-economic packages by the Task Force on Decommissioned Combatants and Communities, aside from the immediate cash assistance.

The decommissioning is part of security aspect of the normalization process, which will also see the implementation of socio-economic development programs, transformations of camps, and transitional justice mechanisms.

The MILF assured that even if the Bangsamoro law is delayed, they will comply with the initial phase of the graduated decommissioning of their forces and weapons.

Sources: OPAPP, inquirer.net, philstar.com, sun.star