MILF: Zambo mayor blocking unit of int’l monitoring team

Secessionist rebels scored the Zamboanga City government for allegedly blocking a component of an International Monitoring Team (IMT) from setting up operations there in line with its task of supervising a ceasefire.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said the IMT's Team Site 3 in Zamboanga City has not yet been dispatched because Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat did not welcome it. "(Zamboanga City) Mayor Celso Lobregat, who has been a staunch oppositionist to the GRP-MILF peace process, does not welcome the establishment of IMT Team Site 3 in Zamboanga City proper," the MILF said in an article on its website, Luwaran.net. The IMT monitors the implementation of the security, humanitarian and development aspects of the peace process between the Philippine government and the MILF. As claimed by the MILF, Lobregat reportedly insisted that the team site in Zamboanga City should still be situated inside the camp of the Armed Forces’ Western Mindanao Command. It said the IMT-3 team, headed by Lt. Col. Mohammad Zaki, would cover the Zamboanga Peninsula areas and the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. Otherwise, it said all other IMT units are in place, with head of mission Maj. Gen. Dato Baharom and staff now manning the IMT headquarters in Cotabato City. The MILF said a 10-member contingent from Brunei headed by Lt. Col. Abidin is manning the IMT Team Site 1, also based in Cotabato City. IMT Team Site 1 covers Maguindanao, Cotabato and Bukidnon provinces. IMT Team Site 2, based in Iligan City, covers the Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte provinces. Handling the team is a Libyan contingent headed by Col. Guima Maarash. A Japanese contingent of socio-economic experts headed by Tomonori Kikuchi, and officers of the Non-Violent Peaceforce and the Mindanao Peoples’ Caucus, will also hold office at the IMT headquarters. The Japanese and MPC contingents will handle the IMT Civilian Protection Component. IMT Team Site 4 will have a Malaysian contingent headed by Lt. Col. Shamsiruddin. It covers Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Saranggani, and the Davao region.