MANILA, Philippines – Armed Forces chief General Carlito Galvez Jr visited the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, on Saturday, October 6, which the military touted as a “historic gesture” in connection to the peace process.

Galvez was accompanied by other high ranking military officials to the MILF camp, according to a military press statement released on Sunday, October 7. They were welcomed by MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, Vice Chairman Alim Solaiman, Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces chief Almansour Gambar, and other base commanders.

“Today I can now declare that the war between the Armed Forces and the MILF is finally over. To my commanders, let us embrace our brothers and sisters and give them respect and lasting peace that the Moro people deserve,” Galvez said during the visit, the statement said.

The military’s visit to the MILF camp was made nearly 3 months after MILF officials visited Camp Aguinaldo. At the time, lawmakers in Congress were working to reconcile different provisions on the then proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law.

During the MILF camp visit, the MILF awarded Galvez with the “Soldier of Peace Award,” a first for a military officer.

“General Galvez is well known among our commanders, the friendship between the MILF and him is already strongly established due to the numerous incidents and challenges in the past that we have jointly faced and solved,” said Ebrahim, as quoted by the AFP statement.

As the military chief made his way to Camp Darapan, 6,000 MILF members from different areas in Mindanao lined the 5-kilometer road from Cotabato City to Simuay, Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao. – Rappler.com