DELA ROSA: Speed up integration of competent MILF and MNLF members to the PNP and AFP

Senator Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa wants to expedite the integration of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) personnel to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to further boost the government's efforts to attain lasting peace and development across the country, especially in the BARMM area.

During the hearing of the Senate Committee on Local Government to discuss the updates of the implementation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, Dela Rosa urged Office of the Presidential Adviser for Peace Process Secretary Carlito Galvez to speed up the provision of guidelines [thru NaPolCom] and the integration process of the MILF and MNLF to the PNP and AFP, citing the competence of the MILF and MNLF forces which could actually help the country's soldiers and policemen in maintaining peace and order in the land.

Senator Dela Rosa validated with Secretary Galvez, former AFP Chief of Staff and currently the OPAPP Secretary, the reports he got from the ground during his stint as PNP Chief that the MILF and MNLF are snappy and very qualified to be members of the PNP and AFP.

"Sir I personally saw their [MILF / MNLF] behavior and you are really correct sir, some of those or many of those are really qualified to become members of the Armed Forces and the PNP," Galvez confirmed, adding that some of the MILF and MNLF combatants had already undergone training under the Joint Peace and Security Teams (JPST) of the Annex of Normalization included in the BOL.

"I understand it would take time, mahaba pa ang proseso at magkakaroon pa ng training...the more that we should be motivated to receive them into the Armed Forces, sabi nga magagaling na sila, mas disiplinado pa yung iba kaya bilisan natin sir and I hope expedite na natin yan," Dela Rosa said.

"Sir actually may mga re-positioned na kami with the Armed Forces. Actually Sir ang pinaka priority for the possible integration to the Armed Forces and the PNP are those who were trained at the JPST because we saw that they are very much qualified that is why we are hurrying up for the listing so the integration of the MILF will be taken from the JPST," Galvez explained.

Under the Bangsamoro Organic Law, members of the MNLF and MILF shall be admitted to the Philippine National Police. Age, height and educational attainment qualifications may be waived and can be availed of within 5 years after the ratification of the BOL.

Recruits from the MNLF and MILF have up to 15 years after their entry to fulfill the educational attainment requirement.