1. The sincerity of the military forces significance to the peace in Sulu.
A local civil society organizations (CSOs) based in Sulu hailed the Philippine Marine Corps, particularly the 9th Marine Battalion, for its Community Relations Training (CRT) project in the southern Philippine province of Sulu.
Dr. Amildasa Annil, president of Ulangig Mindanao Network (UMI), greatly remarked the engagement of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) with civil society organizations.
He particularly mentioned particularly Major General Rustico Guerrero who introduced the peace building initiative in the provinces of Basilan and Sulu.
"It was when the 2010 synchronized national and local elections significantly, pull off a 'zero casualty' record in the electoral history of Sulu," the NGO leader said.
Annil made the remarks during the graduation ceremony of the 2nd batch of CRT trainees for community relations course held at the Sulu Area Coordinating Centre on Tuesday, January 24, 2012.
The occasion was attended by His Excellency Trevor Lewis, British Deputy Ambassador; Ky Johnson, Deputy Country Representative of The Asia Foundation to the Philippines; and a representative of Steven Rood, TAF Country Representative.
It was also attended by government panel members in the GPH-MILF Prof. Miriam Ferrer and Bai Jasmin Lao as well as Maj. Gen. Guerrero, Commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps, as guest speaker.
The United Kingdom (UK) Department for International Development supports the CRT project through The Asia Foundation and its local non-governmental organization (NGO) partner, the Ulangig Mindanao, Incorporated.
CRT is the first peace building initiative in broad collaboration with the civil society immersing with the grassroots at community level.
Annil said that while the AFP is yet to induct its National Peace Support Programs and the government is preoccupied in the peace processes before and now, civilian and military peace partnerships are taking place in Sulu.
“Peace cannot wait for an impending peace talks between government and the Moro fronts to conclude, we have to curb protracted wars and save lives,” Dr. Amildasa Annil, president of Ulangig Mindanao Network said.
The first CRT crafted by the 9th Marine Battalion launched at Bud Datu’ historical shrine last December 2011 is now on its 2nd phase. The National AFP Peace Programs has adopted the project as one of its major courses.
The CRT is part of the AFP’s reflective reform program for combatant units currently deployed in Sulu in a locally designed framework to enhance security sector’s relation with the community.
Colonel Romulo Quemado, Deputy Commander of the 9th Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT) in collaborationwith UMI who innovated the CRT concept said, “We need the help of the people of Sulu for the AFP to understand the over-all context of our operational environment while enhancing our community relations to achieve better understanding of the people we have sworn to serve and protect."\
He said the CRT project contributed a lot in changing the image of the AFP and in restoring broken relations brought about by long standing conflicts between the military and the people.
The CRT also contributed to AFP achievements of small but significant victories when Marine Corps in Sulu tops the recent performance and satisfactoriness survey done by an independent party. Being the exemplars of the best in Soldiery, the CSOs afforded them the prestige of “The Filipino Noble Warriors and Guardians Peace," according to him.
Meanwhile, leaders of civil society organizations in Sulu lead by Task Force Kahanungan Network of Ulangig Mindanao signed an open communiqué to President Benigno Aquino III commending the performance of the AFP in Sulu.
They expressed appreciation to the accomplishments of General Guerrero, commandant of the Marine Corps; Col. Remegio Valdez, Commander of the 3rd Marine Brigade; Col. Martin Pinto, Deputy Commander of the 3rd Marine Brigade; Col. Orlando De Leon, Commander of the 2nd Marine Brigade; Col. Eric Macaambac, Commander of 9th MBLT; Col. Romulo Quemado, ExO MBLT 9 and Operation Officer, Joint Task Force Sulu Island Command; and Lt. Col. Mabini Abduhadi, Community Relation Officer, 3rd Marine Brigade.
The Ulangig Mindanao and its network organizations with the guidance and assistance of The Asia Foundation continue to develop more meaningful engagement projects with the security sectors specially the Philippine National Police (PNP) being the lead institution in combating criminalities and lawlessness.
By Hader Glang
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