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23April
Photo courtesy of MEL SENEN SARMIENTO FB
MILF welcomes Sarmiento as new presidential peace adviser
- Apr 23, 2026
- Taher G. Solaiman
- HITS: 536
MILF Peace Implementing Panel Chairman Mohagher Iqbal, in an official statement, said the MILF sees in Sarmiento's appointment "an opportunity for the substantial fulfillment of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and building the foundations of peace in the Bangsamoro."
Sarmiento, whose most recent government post was as Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (SILG) under President Benigno Aquino III, served in that capacity from September 11, 2015 to June 30, 2016. He succeeded Manuel Roxas, who vacated the post to run for president in the 2016 elections. Sarmiento is reported to be the 12th Presidential Peace Adviser across six administrations.
He replaces Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., who reportedly stepped down to attend to his ailing wife and family matters.
Iqbal said, "This is not to celebrate the exit of the former PAPRU, Secretary Galvez," he said.
"We may have had differences in the way the peace process is being pushed forward, but our respect for each other remains etched in our memories forever. Our friendship remains," Iqbal said.
In his statement, Iqbal described Galvez as "not merely an official, but a partner to the MILF in the critical years of implementation," noting that his tenure saw historic milestones including the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law and the commencement of decommissioning.
Iqbal underscored that the remaining work ahead is civilian in nature — completing normalization, building fiscal and governance capacity in the BARMM, ensuring the integrity of the Bangsamoro's first parliamentary elections, and delivering development to communities long affected by conflict. He noted that Sarmiento's background in municipal administration, regional development coordination, and national government-BARMM intergovernmental work makes him well-suited for these tasks.
"The Bangsamoro needs a partner at the national level who understands how institutions actually work, not simply how security operations function," Iqbal said.
Iqbal invited Sarmiento to engage the MILF leadership directly, stressing that the final stretch of the peace process requires genuine partnership.
"The Bangsamoro's future depends on whether we finish what we started. The MILF stands ready to contribute fully to that work," he said.
It is worth noting that Galvez served as co-chair of the peace panel during the Mamasapano tragedy on January 25, 2015, in which 66 individuals were killed — 44 from the Philippine National Police Special Action Force, 17 MILF combatants, and five civilians.
Write to Taher Guiambangan Solaiman
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