PRESIDENT Duterte on Thursday ordered the Armed Forces to “take full control” of the Bagani paramilitary units so as not to undermine the peace process with the National Democratic Front (NDF).
“I have noticed from many reports that the government-backed paramilitary units are still operating. I am now ordering the Army to take full control itong mga Bagani command and the… there is another group, I forgot the name. So many… paramilitary men operating especially with firearms issued by the government that would undermine the peace process and of course, it would be also a crime if you do that,” Duterte said at Camp Alagar here.
He cited a killing of people in Kitaotao in Bukidnon, in Surigao, in Arakan, North Cotabato, allegedly by paramilitary forces.
“May this be stopped because we are really trying our best to come up with a… peaceful country,” Duterte said.
Both the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) peace panels have declared, separately, a unilateral ceasefire that both have agreed to continue indefinitely as their ceasefire committees “reconcile and develop their separate unilateral ceasefire orders into a single unified bilateral agreement within 60 days” from Aug. 26.
The proposed bilateral ceasefire is a major breakthrough in the three decades of peace negotiations across six administrations. (mindanews)
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