MILF arms turnover: 'Swords into plowshares'

SURRENDERED FIREARMS. A Filipino Muslim boy walks past 75 high-powered firearms surrendered by members of rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) during the first phase of the decommissioning of weapons in the town of Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao province in the southern Philippines on June 16, 2015. Photo by Ritchie Tongo/EPA

MANILA, Philippines – The governor of the Philippines' Muslim region on Tuesday, June 16, praised the "act of peace" by the rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in turning over their firearms to the Philippine government.

In a statement, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Mujiv Hataman described the turnover as a long-awaited "show of sincerity" to end a 4-decade Muslim secessionist movement.

"Beginning today, the MILF will beat swords into plowshares as soldiers will begin to bring life to the land instead of taking from it. Today, mothers will begin to send their children to school again without fear, and welcome them home happily. Today, children will start learning to be children, and hope never to learn about war again," Hataman said.

"We silence the guns today," he added, "and our voices will drown the songs of war; our voice will echo the calls for peace."

The MILF decommissioned a first batch of firearms on Tuesday, in a ceremony attended by Philippine President Benigno Aquino III and MILF chairman Ebrahim Murad.

The United Kingdom, among others, hailed the historic turnover.

Bangsamoro law a 'rock' for peace

Still, Hataman said more needs to be done after Tuesday's milestone.

He also pushed for the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which "has suffered much under the hands of those who have studied it, as well as those who have not." (READ: Q and A: Cardinal on biases vs Muslims: 'Failure of the Church')

The BBL aims to create an autonomous Muslim region more powerful than the ARMM.

It was almost derailed, however, by a botched police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, that killed 67 Filipinos in January. (READ: 62% of Mindanao residents oppose BBL – Pulse Asia)

"This law, the fruit of many legal minds, both Moro and non-Moro, will be the rock on which lasting peace and eventual economic progress in Mindanao can be built," Hataman said.

He pointed out that the law hurdled the committee level at the House of Representatives, and is now underling an "obstacle race" in the Senate. "We pray that this race will soon end and the BBL be hailed as victorious."

The governor said: "The peace panel has done its part. The Bangsamoro will continue to do what is necessary, this decommissioning of arms not the least, in order to make our dream of lasting peace a reality. We hope that the President, who has been its champion since its inception, will do everything that is possible for the BBL to come to its fruition." – Rappler.com