SULU - Gov. Sakur Tan led the signing of the so-called “Parjanjian Indanan or the “Indanan People Peace Covenant” in an effort to harness the community's participation and empowerment to achieve long-lasting peace in the southern province.
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| Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan signs the “Parjanjian Indanan" or the “Indanan People Peace Covenant” in an effort to harness the community's participation and empowerment to achieve long-lasting peace in the town. (Photo from the Office of the Governor) |
The governor
reiterated his all-out support for the peace and development effort in the town
and asked villagers to support the government efforts.
Tan also
held a covenant meeting with Parang Mayor Alkhadar Loong where government officials
denounced the Abu Sayyaf atrocities and propounded initiatives to strengthen
and institutionalize public safety, security, and well-being in the
municipality.
Corleto
and other security officials also witnessed the covenant which also empowered
the religious sector to promote mutual respect and peaceful co-existence. During
the signing of the covenant, local and military officials activated the
Municipal Task Force in Ending Local Armed Conflict (MTF-ELAC).
“The
activation of the MTF-ELAC substantially proves that the government is serious
in accelerating the peace process here in Parang, Sulu. It shows that the
different sectors are also working together to sustain security and normalcy in
the area,” Vinluan said.
Government
officials also activated the Municipal Peace Action Operations and Monitoring
Center and the Islamic Religious Council of Parang to address the
socio-cultural, security, and development issues and to sustain and tap the
development potentials of town.
Other
stakeholders and officials who signed and took part in the commitment were Col.
Ignatius Patrimonio, commander of the 1102nd Infantry Brigade; and his deputy,
Col. Taharudin Ampatuan; Lt. Col. Jooney Jay Businos, commander of the 2nd
Special Forces Battalion; Lt. Col. Jeff Uy, Sulu police chief; Capt. Rico
Tagure, commander of the 4th Special Forces Company; Maj. Mohamad Hussin Tapsi,
the municipal police chief; Awaljaman Tahil, president of the Association of
Barangay Chairmen; and Muslim religious leader, Imam Kahal Tiplahan.
Lt.
Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, of the Philippine Army, praised Tan and other
provincial and municipal officials in pursuing the government’s peace programs.
“Peace calls for commitment, involvement, and integration of efforts. We let
synergy work out and bring a breakthrough in our security and development
campaign. With our headway, this convergence will continue to substantiate our
peace efforts and ameliorate our gains. I thank and urge our committed partners
who ardently share this common goal towards transformation for peace and
progress in Sulu and the entire Mindanao,” he said.
Sulu
has previously declared the Abu Sayyaf and its supporters as “persona non
grata.”
President Rodrigo Duterte has
previously sought Tan to help him talk peace, but at
the same time ordered security forces to crush the Abu Sayyaf, blamed for the August
twin suicide bombings in the capital town of Jolo that killed over a dozen
soldiers and civilians, and left scores of innocent people injured.
“Ikaw ‘yung — I address you because ikaw ‘yung
nire-respeto ko. You have a colorful life. Kung sa patay, dapat patay ka na sa
dinaanan mo sa buhay, and yet you are still here around. Why don’t you try to
help me within the next few months last term just to talk about peace? It need
not really be a — an arrangement, just talk about peace,” Duterte told Tan
during his recent visit in Sulu.
Aside from Tan, Duterte also spoke to Nur
Misuari, chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front, to support the
government’s peace efforts. (Mindanao Examiner)
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