Armed group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has returned some of the weapons its fighters seized from the Philippine National Police – Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) troopers who were involved in a mission to arrest Malaysian terrorist Marwan in Mamasapano, Maguindanano last January 25, 2015 which cost the lives of the 44 elite members of PNP-SAF.
In the initial batch of returned firearms, the MILF returned a total of 10 firearms – composed of one automatic weapon and nine carbine rifles, at the headquarters of the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division in Camp Siongco located in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.
Some of the government’s top officials were present during the turnover of firearms, present during the turnover were ARMM governor Mujiv Hataman, AFP Chief of Staff Gregorio Pio Catapang, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles, Government peace panel chief negotiator Miriam Coronel Ferrer, and MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal.
MILF negotiator Mohagher Iqbal earlier stated during the Senate hearing that his group will return the policemen’s weapons, composed of several high-grade firearms, however the BIFF, the splinter group of MILF who also engaged with the SAF in a gun battle, insisted that they will not return the seized weapons.
The returning of seized firearms by the MILF is sen as part of confidence-building efforts in the wake of the bloody Mamasapano clash that cost the lives of the 44 members of the PNP’s most elite force, the PNP-SAF.