BARIRA, Maguindanao del Norte (December 16, 2025) — The Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) reaffirmed their commitment to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) on Tuesday as Joint Peace and Security Team (JPST) members were awarded military medals at Camp Iranon, a former MILF stronghold now used as a symbol of peace and transition.
The ceremony honored personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), and the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) for their roles in combatant decommissioning and disaster response operations—key pillars of the normalization process under the peace agreement.
Major General Francisco Ariel Felicidario III (Ret.), GPH Joint Peace and Security Committee (JPSC) Co-Chair, underscored the historic nature of the event, noting that this marked the first time BIAF members received official military medals approved by AFP and PNP leadership.
“It’s actually historic because this is the first time that BIAF-MILF members will be awarded medals,” Felicidario said, describing the move as a significant administrative and symbolic step in transforming former adversaries into peace partners.
Barira Mayor Abdulraof Tomawis cited tangible peace dividends at the local level, recalling that since his first term in 2019, the municipality—once a conflict hotspot—has not recorded major armed incidents between the MILF and government forces.
“This joint awarding of medals is not only a recognition of individual accomplishments but also a testament to the collective sacrifice, discipline, and dedication of our peacekeepers,” Tomawis said, crediting JPST operations for building trust and sustaining peace in Barira and across Maguindanao del Norte.
MILF Joint Normalization Committee (JNC) Co-Chair Minister Akmad Brahim described the JPST as the “tangible result” of the CAB, calling its members the visible face of peace on the ground. Meanwhile, MILF JPSC Co-Chair Minister Abunawas “Von Al Haq” Maslamama warned that security gains remain fragile without continued vigilance.
“Security is very important. If everything is not protected, it will doom to fail,” Maslamama said.
Brig. Gen. Larry C. Batalla, commander of the 1st Marine Brigade and keynote speaker, pointed to Camp Iranon itself as evidence of change.
“Camp Iranon stands as a living symbol of transformation,” Batalla said. “The work of the JPST reflects what can be achieved when institutions move forward with unity of purpose.”
Notable Absence Raises Questions
Despite the celebratory tone, observers noted the conspicuous absence of higher-ranking MILF central committee or top leadership figures at the event. Representation from the MILF side largely came from BIAF and committee-level officials, rather than senior political leaders of the organization.
This absence has fueled speculation of persistent tensions between the GPH—particularly the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU)—and the MILF leadership, amid lingering issues over normalization timelines, socio-economic commitments, and the pace of implementation of key CAB provisions.
While ground-level cooperation through mechanisms such as the JPST continues to show progress, the lack of visible participation by top MILF leaders underscores concerns that political-level trust between the two parties remains strained, even as security actors work to keep the peace intact on the ground.
The ceremony, therefore, stood as both a milestone and a reminder: while peace gains are real and visible at the community and security levels, sustaining them will require renewed confidence and engagement at the highest levels of GPH–MILF leadership.