ZAMBOANGA CITY: Governors in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have appealed to the national government to hasten the decommissioning of thousands of armed members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which signed a peace deal with the Philippine government in 2014.

Governors Mamintal Adiong Jr. of Lanao del Sur, Sakur Tan of Sulu, Mariam Mangudadatu of Maguindanao del Sur, Ysmael Sali of Tawi-Tawi and Hadjiman Salliman of Basilan met behind closed doors with senior government officials led by Defense Secretary Gilberto 'Gibo' Teodoro Jr. and Interior Secretary Benjamin 'Benhur' Abalos Jr. and discussed the decommissioning process and other issues concerning the restive region.