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BEATIFUL. Rare birds and the Philippine tarsier are among the untouched pockets of biodiversity which, until recently, were obscured by the long shadow of war at the MILF's historic camp in Maguindanao del Norte.
courtesy of Brigadier General Romulo Quemado
The forests of Camp Iranun are teeming with life such as rare birds, wild animals, and even the elusive Philippine tarsier. These untouched pockets of biodiversity were, until recently, obscured by the long shadow of war.
MAGUINDANAO DEL NORTE, Philippines – Deep in the mountains of Matanog, Maguindanao del Norte, where the sound of gunfire once echoed through the forests, a transformation is taking root. What was once a stronghold of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) during the decades-long Moro armed struggle in Mindanao is now being envisioned as a symbol of peace, ecological preservation, and renewal.
The forests of the camp are teeming with life such as rare birds, hornbills, wild animals, and even the elusive Philippine tarsier. These untouched pockets of biodiversity were, until recently, obscured by the long shadow of war.
Now called Camp Iranun, the former rebel stronghold served as the symbolic and operational heart of the MILF until it was overrun by the military in 2000. A Marine brigade is now based there.
It was in what used to be known as Camp Abubakar that the late Salamat Hashim, MILF founding chair, lived and led one of the most prominent revolutionary movements in Southeast Asia.
The eventual peace pact between the MILF and the government led to the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), a hard-won political settlement and a cornerstone of the ongoing peace process in the Mindanao region.
Much of the preserved house of Salamat, a modest fortress tucked into the foliage of a hill in Camp Iranun, still stands as it did during the height of the Moro armed struggle, but bats have become its inhabitants. It was the place where the MILF’s founding chairman plotted the group’s course.
Now, Salamat’s concrete house draws visitors – former rebels, journalists, and researchers – seeking a deeper understanding of the movement’s roots and the man who led it. There, former MILF combatants serve as guides.
Brigadier General Romulo Quemado, outgoing commander of the 1st Marine Brigade, sees Camp Iranun not merely as a demilitarized zone or a relic of conflict, but as a sanctuary of biodiversity or an ecological zone that honors the land and the struggle that once defined it.
Quemado, a battle-hardened Marine with a passion for bird photography, is calling for environmental protection and endangered species conservation to be embedded into the Camp Transformation Initiatives, a government program aimed at converting former conflict zones into peaceful, productive spaces.
“Integrate robust environmental protection and endangered species conservation directly into the Camp Transformation Initiatives,” he said.
The general, known for launching community-based conservation in other parts of Mindanao, has drawn inspiration from a previous success – Project Tawsi in Tawi-Tawi – where he helped former MNLF combatants and local organizations form forest ranger teams to protect endangered species like the Sulu hornbill and combat illegal logging and mining.
He said that if not for election-related security duties and his brief assignment, he would have organized community-based conservation groups and civil society organizations to run environmental protection programs for Camp Iranun.
“When I stayed here for almost a year now, I had the opportunity to photo-document, take pictures of the various animals seen here, and also the plants,” Quemado recounted with enthusiasm.
One of his most memorable finds was the pristine Ambal River – its clean, winding waters cutting through untouched forest, a symbol of what peace has made possible.
“Ustadz Hashim Salamat resided here, and his old house is well-preserved, I believe they need to reconnect with the principles of their leaders who sacrificed for them. At the same time, in reconnecting, they need to see the value of ecology as sustainable development, connected to the peace dividend they are now receiving from the hardships and sacrifices of those who came before them,” Quemado said, reflecting on the historical and ecological value of the place.
The proposal has found strong local support. Matanog Mayor Zohria “Jo” Bansil-Guro, whose town borders the Barira mountain ranges that cradle Camp Iranun, said they are “one big group” behind the vision.
“We have been consistent in working with our Ist Marine Brigade in our quest and vision: ‘From war zone to economic zone,’” Guro said.
Quemado, who was replaced by Colonel Larry Batalla on Monday, July 21, assumed his new role as deputy commander for internal defense operations at the Western Mindanao Command.
He said he carries the profound hope that the next generation of Bangsamoro youth will embrace the initiative, leading the charge to protect and further enrich the flourishing paradise that is Camp Iranun’s environment. – Rappler.com
