1 month ago
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THE Philippine government has called for restraint and sound judgment from all parties following the deadly armed encounter in the village of Cabengbeng, Sumisip, Basilan on Jan. 22, which resulted in the deaths of two soldiers, injuries to 12 others, and unconfirmed casualties on the side of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Government of the Philippines (GPH) Peace Implementing Panel described the incident as a regrettable setback in the ongoing efforts to fully implement the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).
The panel emphasized the need for calm and prudence as the GPH and MILF peace mechanisms conduct a joint verification to establish the facts surrounding the clash.
"The GPH Peace Implementing Panel calls for sobriety and prudence from all concerned parties, pending the results of the joint verification by the GPH and MILF peace mechanisms to objectively assess and weigh different angles of the incident," the statement read.
Authorities are still piecing together the exact circumstances of the firefight, with initial reports indicating that tensions escalated in the area before the clash erupted.
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The government has stressed the importance of allowing the peace mechanisms to complete their assessment before drawing conclusions or assigning blame.
The GPH panel also urged political leaders, community stakeholders, and the general public to refrain from making inflammatory remarks that could exacerbate tensions.
The government at the same time reaffirmed its commitment to the peace process, underscoring the necessity of dialogue, cooperation, and mutual re-spect to preserve trust between the two parties and sustain the gains of the CAB.
While efforts are underway to clarify the facts, security forces in the region remain on high alert to prevent any potential escalation.
Local and international observers have expressed hope that both sides will uphold their commitment to peace despite the unfortunate incident.
The joint verification process is expected to shed light on the circumstances of the encounter and determine whether violations of existing ceasefire agreements occurred.
