GENERAL ORDER NO. 7
SECURITY DIRECTIVES RELATED TO BASILAN/SULU BATTLES
WHEREAS, twenty-six troopers were massacred in Sulu;
WHEREAS, The Army Commander has been ordered to move to Mindanao and directly prosecute Basilan and Sulu campaigns;
WHEREAS, the Sulu ambush has shown that conflict escalation can easily happen;
WHEREAS, it is absolutely imperative to keep solid focus on the overriding strategic goal: Maintain the ceasefire and peace efforts with the MILF;
WHEREAS, the government needs to perform a delicate balancing act between firm security response and continued peace initiatives;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA M. ARROYO, President of the Philippines and Commander-in-Chief of all the armed forces of the Philippines, by the powers vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the land, do hereby order:
1. Keep Basilan and Sulu operations firmly controlled to minimize civilian casualties, with NDCC help in evacuating them, and respect ceasefire guidelines in close consultation with the International Monitoring Team, whose mandate should be extended before it expires next month, and GRP-MILF ceasefire committee.
2. Hold urgent...
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General Orders
Security Directives Related To Basilan/sulu Battles
General Order No. 7
Summary of General Order No. 7 - Security Directives Related to Basilan/Sulu Battles
Background and Objectives:
- Twenty-six troopers were massacred in Sulu.
- The Army Commander has been ordered to move to Mindanao and directly prosecute Basilan and Sulu campaigns.
- The Sulu ambush has shown that conflict escalation can easily happen.
- The overriding strategic goal is to maintain the ceasefire and peace efforts with the MILF.
- The government needs to perform a delicate balancing act between firm security response and continued peace initiatives.
Directives:
1. Basilan and Sulu Operations (Section 1):
- Keep operations firmly controlled to minimize civilian casualties.
- Seek NDCC help in evacuating civilians.
- Respect ceasefire guidelines in close consultation with the International Monitoring Team and GRP-MILF ceasefire committee.
- Extend the mandate of the International Monitoring Team before it expires next month.
2. Urgent Talks with MILF (Section 2):
- Hold urgent talks with the MILF under Malaysian auspices.
- Contain and resolve the Basilan/Sulu situation.
- Make it clear that the government has to secure its forces and areas as part of peace efforts and law enforcement, but will not overrun MILF areas.
3. Briefing OIC Committee of Eight (Section 3):
- Brief the OIC Committee of Eight on Mindanao developments.
- Underline both the limited military operations and the continuing peace and development efforts.
- Highlight huge outlays in the 2007 and 2008 budgets for Mindanao, including Basilan and Sulu.
4. Harnessing Religious and Civil Society Groups (Section 4):
- Harness the Bishops-Ulama Conference and other religious and civil society groups for peace efforts.
- The President and other national leaders to join them in prayers and peace rally in Mindanao.
- Meet with them on the need to work together for peace and against forces and ideologies promoting violence.
5. Development Initiatives in ARMM (Section 5):
- Accelerate and project development initiatives in ARMM.
- Focus on high-profile public works and social programs, including health, housing, livelihood, and Muslim education.
- If it would not adversely affect the GRP negotiating position and provoke alarm among Christians, a pilot implementation of the envisioned Muslim ancestral domain regime shall be undertaken to demonstrate sincerity to achieve peace.
6. Peace and Security Assembly (Section 6):
- Hold the first peace and security assembly in Bohol and more elsewhere.
- Wind down insurgency in other areas.
- Demonstrate the government's peace resolve while freeing up troops in case they would be needed in Mindanao.
Background and Objectives:
- Twenty-six troopers were massacred in Sulu.
- The Army Commander has been ordered to move to Mindanao and directly prosecute Basilan and Sulu campaigns.
- The Sulu ambush has shown that conflict escalation can easily happen.
- The overriding strategic goal is to maintain the ceasefire and peace efforts with the MILF.
- The government needs to perform a delicate balancing act between firm security response and continued peace initiatives.
Directives:
1. Basilan and Sulu Operations (Section 1):
- Keep operations firmly controlled to minimize civilian casualties.
- Seek NDCC help in evacuating civilians.
- Respect ceasefire guidelines in close consultation with the International Monitoring Team and GRP-MILF ceasefire committee.
- Extend the mandate of the International Monitoring Team before it expires next month.
2. Urgent Talks with MILF (Section 2):
- Hold urgent talks with the MILF under Malaysian auspices.
- Contain and resolve the Basilan/Sulu situation.
- Make it clear that the government has to secure its forces and areas as part of peace efforts and law enforcement, but will not overrun MILF areas.
3. Briefing OIC Committee of Eight (Section 3):
- Brief the OIC Committee of Eight on Mindanao developments.
- Underline both the limited military operations and the continuing peace and development efforts.
- Highlight huge outlays in the 2007 and 2008 budgets for Mindanao, including Basilan and Sulu.
4. Harnessing Religious and Civil Society Groups (Section 4):
- Harness the Bishops-Ulama Conference and other religious and civil society groups for peace efforts.
- The President and other national leaders to join them in prayers and peace rally in Mindanao.
- Meet with them on the need to work together for peace and against forces and ideologies promoting violence.
5. Development Initiatives in ARMM (Section 5):
- Accelerate and project development initiatives in ARMM.
- Focus on high-profile public works and social programs, including health, housing, livelihood, and Muslim education.
- If it would not adversely affect the GRP negotiating position and provoke alarm among Christians, a pilot implementation of the envisioned Muslim ancestral domain regime shall be undertaken to demonstrate sincerity to achieve peace.
6. Peace and Security Assembly (Section 6):
- Hold the first peace and security assembly in Bohol and more elsewhere.
- Wind down insurgency in other areas.
- Demonstrate the government's peace resolve while freeing up troops in case they would be needed in Mindanao.