ZAMBOANGA CITY — Newly elected local government officials in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and its adjacent Regions 9 and 12 attended the first leg of the Capacity Development and Awareness Building conducted by the National Task Force for the Disbandment of Private Armed Groups.

It aimed at intensifying the awareness and participation of concerned agencies in the disbandment of private armed groups in BARMM, Region 9 and Region 12 to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao.
The activity was also the first leg of the Capacity Development and Awareness Building for the newly elected local government officials in the BARMM, Region 9 and Region 12.

Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Mindanao Command acting commander Brig. Gen. Arturo Rojas disclosed that the highlight of the activity was the briefings on the different lines of efforts of the NTF-DPAGS.

Discussed during the activity were the Threat Assessment, Local Threat Situation, Updates on the Normalization Process and other related topics, Community Engagement and Participation, the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, and Updates on the National Action Plans to Prevent and Counter Violent Extremism.