Does “recognition” of MILF camps have any implications for the territorial integrity of the Republic of the Philippines?
The agreement is silent on this. There are ground rules for the ceasefire [of 1997] and the moment they acknowledge our camps, these ground rules apply. Government troops may conduct police action inside our camps provided there is prior coordination with the MILF. The MILF also can establish checkpoints and perimeter defenses in and around the camps and that is also established in the ground rules. There has been confusion over the perimeter of Camp Abubakar and the Narciso Ramos National Highway. What is your understanding of this? Camp Abubakar was established in 1984. The construction of the national highway took place in1995. So the camp was already long established when the highway was built. During the presidency of [Fidel] Ramos, government officials negotiated with the MILF for the construction of the highway. In an informal agreement we allowed construction of the highway provided that there would be no displacement of our troops in that area. The 10-km stretch of the nationa
