JTF Central, support agencies strengthen coop vs. illegal drugs

CAMP SIONGCO, Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao --- The Joint Task Force (JTF)  Central met here last June 5 with other government agencies and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (MILF-CCCH) here to discuss matters on the campaign against illegal drugs in Central Mindanao.

JTF Central Commander Brig. Gen. Cirilito E. Sobejana convened and presided over the meeting attended by officials from the Police Regional Office in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, PRO-12, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-ARMM, National Bureau of Investigation-ARMM, brigade and battalion commanders under the JTF Central, and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process with the presence of the MILF-CCCH.

The conferees reviewed and revisited the respective mandates of the concerned agencies in the government’s campaign against illegal drugs; discussed issues concerning coordination’s and actual conduct of anti-drugs operations; and came out with measures to eliminate loopholes in actual operations with proper inter-agency coordination. 

The meeting also highlighted the need for coordination with the MILF-CCCH when there is a conduct of operation in all recognized MILF camps. 

MILF-CCCH Chairman Butch Malang assured that the MILF would give their full cooperation about the campaign of the government as he also stressed that the MILF leadership does not tolerate the use of illegal drugs as this is generally forbidden in Islam.

“We are the guards of the gates of change and we have to start the change within us,” Sobejana said as he stressed that the military is doing its internal cleansing through drug test.

Brig. Gen. Sobejana also said that there is a need for inter-agency coordination, collaboration, and cooperation with the PNP and PDEA as the lead agencies in all drug operations with the look-out of the unit commanders to address capability gaps to accomplish the mission without casualties as much as possible. (ODPA, 6th ID/MINDANAO EXPOSE’)