Comelec monitors BARMM after MILF suspends decommissioning

The withdrawal of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) from decommissioning activities "has yet to reach the level of being an election-related concern," according to Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia, who stressed that the poll body nonetheless is closely monitoring the situation in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

- By MAYEN JAYMALIN

But Garcia admitted that the MILF's directive to its members could affect the implementation of the gun ban in connection with the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE) in October.

Alhadj Murad Ebrahim, MILF chairman, ordered on Aug. 16 all MILF commanders and members not to participate in the decommissioning activity initiated by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) without his written approval.