MANILA, Philippines–President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday appointed the chief of the largest Moro rebel group as head of the transition government that will run a new autonomous Muslim region, taking another step in sealing a peace accord to end decades of insurgency in the country’s troubled south. The President appointed Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chair Murad Ebrahim as the BTA’s iterim chief minister, who will temporarily lead the regional parliament of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Mr. Duterte justified the appointment of the “revolutionary” MILF commander in the BTA. Dissolved after pollsThe new Muslim region will hold the polls for its first set of elected officials in 2022 at the same time as the national elections. About 12,000 MILF combatants with thousands of firearms are expected to be demobilized starting this year under the peace deal.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer February 22, 2019 23:15 UTC