The Philippine National Police (PNP) said they are willing to accept the members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who will lay down their arms and wants to join the organization as long as they are qualified. .

“We can get recruits from them but they need to pass the requirement also. They need to meet the basic requirement since it’s under the law,” Police General Oscar Albayalde said in a press briefing on Monday.

“We are open just like any other Muslim brothers we have as long as they are qualified,” the PNP chief said.

He said age, educational attainment, height are some requirements applicants they need to meet.

“But if they are disqualified, we cannot process them. It will be just like the normal recruitment… provided they don’t have criminal case or pending cases,” he said.

Albayalde said they cannot accept them as auxiliaries as there is no law allowing them to do so.

He added that the Armed Forces of the Philippines will train the combatants.

“The PNP is purely on the supportive role,” he said.

Albayalde said they will still arrest any MILF members with standing warrant of arrest even if they are included in the thousands of combatants to be decommissioned.

“Lately, someone was arrested and he said he is part (of the decommissioning) but they still need to face the cases against them especially so if they have standing warrant of arrest,” he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte will lead the decommissioning of around 1,000 combatants and 920 firearms on September 7. Ella Dionisio/DMS