DAVAO CITY — On its third annual Bangsamoro Public Order and Safety Conference held here on Dec. 10-11, the Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS) gathered law enforcers and key stakeholders to discuss long-term solutions to the peace and development agenda of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
According to MPOS, the conference specifically aimed to institutionalize the mechanisms in preventing and addressing the occurrence of violent conflicts such as family feuds or ‘rido’, reduction of loose firearms, private armed groups, illegal drugs, and all forms of criminality.
MPOS Minister Hussein Muñoz said the regional government is strongly and proactively strengthening its coordination with law enforcement agencies to ensure peace and harmony in the Bangsamoro homeland.
“We see peace and harmony as the direction to take towards a developed Bangsamoro and Mindanao. Without it, it will be impossible to attain progress and prosperity as peace is the only way to stop injustice and conflicts in the region,” Minister Muñoz said.
“It is our hope to establish an enduring peace through our unified efforts as agencies of government , co-advocates towards promotion of peace, and committed to deliver the expectations of the people to whom our service is dedicated,” he added.
On the other hand, BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim stressed in a video message the importance of consultations to discuss and formulate mechanisms to resolve various social problems, human rights violations, and other forms of criminality.
The Chief Minister said threats of peace and order “affects poverty and underdevelopment”.
“I’m hoping that this conference can take resolutions on existing threats for our safety and security so that we can be able to continue to live with freedom, justice, and harmony,” Ebrahim said.
Meanwhile, BARMM Police Regional Office Deputy Regional Director PCOL James Gulmatico emphasized that existing criminalities in the region are still manageable since law enforcement agencies initiated various actions. He also cited that people in the community also play a crucial role in promoting and maintaining peace and security.
“Napakaganda ang ganitong pagtitipon-tipon, sapagkat nagkakaroon ng koordinasyon at kolaborasyon sa pagitan ng law enforcement agencies at BARMM government dahil dito napag-uusapan ano ang mga dapat gawin upang mapanatili ang kapayapaan sa rehiyon,” Gulmatico said.
With the theme “Establishing the foundations for enduring peace in the Bangsamoro,” the conference served as medium for the formulation of comprehensive programs and activities relating to the promotion of peace and reconciliation, unification, and peaceful co-existence.
Participants to the activity, which included civil society organizations and local government units, formulated mechanism and discussed solutions related to concerns on peace and order; jail management; anti-illegal drugs enforcement; civil society on peace and security in the Bangsamoro; women, peace, and security; implementation of normalization; reintegration of victims of violent extremist ideology; issues and challenges on jail management and penology; and reintegration program for rebel returnees in BARMM. (Johaira Sahidala/BIO)
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