Brunei supports RP-MILF peace efforts – deputy defense minister

The deputy defense minister of Brunei has expressed full support for peace efforts between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Brunei's Deputy Defense Minister Dato Paduka Haji Mustappa Bin Haji Abd Wahab went to Mindanao to visit the Brunei International Monitoring Team site in Cotabato City, and introduce the new team site leader to the government and the MILF. He also traveled to the Philippines to "express support for the ongoing GRP-MILF Peace Talks," the MILF said in an article posted on its website over the weekend. Political and military officials also made up the Brunei delegation during its courtesy call to the MILF leadership, the MILF noted. The meeting took place in Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao, the administrative area of the MILF where the offices of the MILF peace panel and the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) are located. According to the MILF, the meeting lasted less than an hour and no food was served since it was Ramadan. It did not say when the meeting took place in its report on Sept. 3. With Murad during the meeting were MILF spokesman and deactivated peace panel chairman Mohagher Iqbal, MILF military chief of staff Sammy Al-Mansoor, other members of the MILF Central Committee, and senior military commanders of the MILF. Also present were lawyer Datu Michael Mastura, a senior member of the deactivated MILF peace panel, and Abu Salman, the MILF ceasefire committee chairman. —JE/VS, GMNews.TV