MILF brands ARMM as Malacañang’s ‘arm’

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has branded the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which it rejected as solution to the decades-long Mindanao conflict, as a mere Malacañang “arm” and not a government of the Bangsamoro people.

MILF chieftain Al Haj Murad said that the existing ARMM, which is a constitutional body inaugurated in 1991 and has jurisdiction over the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan and Tawi-Twai and Marawi City, is at the mercy of Malacañang Palace.

“Sorry to say but the present ARMM is but an arm of Malacañang and not a government of the Bangasmoro people,” said Murad during an interview by ABS-CBN.

According to Murad, there is no real self-governance in ARMM and it cannot stand without the support and influence of Malacañang.

The MILF chieftain stressed that ARMM only benefitted politicians and technocrats in the region.

“Everybody knows that it only become a milking cow of the politicians and technocrats,” Murad said.

“The politicians became rich but the benefits did not trickle down to our people,” he added.

Read full article @ www.tribuneonline.org

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