OZAMIZ CITY鈥擳he Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is open to collaborating with the administration of President Duterte in the campaign against illegal drugs.
This developed as Mr. Duterte disclosed on Thursday the web of individuals allegedly running the illicit drugs trade in the country.
In November last year, the MILF central committee issued a directive to its political and military leaders聽 to help curb the brisk trading in 鈥渟habu鈥� in Moro communities in Mindanao. But this was met with聽 objections from government security agencies fearing that this would breach the ceasefire accord between the government and the MILF.
鈥淲ith the election of Duterte as president of this country and his hardline policy on drugs, the campaign of the MILF against drugs finds comfort,鈥� read a recent editorial on the MILF鈥檚 official website.
鈥淚n fact, a possible understanding or arrangement can be worked out. This can be done through the existing mechanisms of the peace process, such as the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (Ahjag) and the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH),鈥澛� the group said.
The MILF, which forged a peace pact with the government in 2014, said it was compelled to launch the anti-shabu campaign as 鈥渢he drug menace is already destroying the future of the Bangsamoro people and hence should be confronted head on.鈥�
The group said it had 鈥渋dentified hundreds to thousands of drug pushers, especially in central Mindanao鈥� through the campaign which, it added, already 鈥渁chieved some successes鈥� and saved so many users or addicts from further destruction.鈥� Ryan D. Rosauro, Inquirer Mindanao