Sunday Times 2
Rebels sign up to vote as Philippines moves to save peace pact
View(s):SULTAN KUDARAT, Philippines, March 7 (AFP) -Hundreds of Muslim rebels lined up in the Philippines today to register as voters, keeping faith with a 2014 peace pact that was thrown into doubt after 44 policemen were killed in a botched terror raid.
Men and women from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) (L) combatants file their registration to qualify for voter identification cards in the southern Philippines (AFP)
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels, unarmed and wearing civilian clothes, had their photographs and fingerprints taken at a government building in the southern town of Sultan Kudarat to qualify for voter identification cards.
“They are all very eager to take part,” Von al Haq, spokesman for the 10,000-member MILF’s military wing told AFP.
Some would be voting for the first time, he added.
“This is part of our preparations to lead our own government,” he said, referring to a March 2014 agreement in which the MILF committed to end an armed rebellion that has claimed 120,000 lives.
As part of the deal, the MILF is to disarm and President Benigno Aquino is set to legislate an area of Muslim self-rule.