CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Joint police and military personnel turned back a large Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) convoy at a security checkpoint Wednesday morning after the group failed to present documents showing prior coordination for its movement.

Troops from the Philippine Army’s 5th Mechanized Battalion and personnel from the Lanao del Norte Police Provincial Office’s 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company intercepted the convoy at around 7:30 a.m. in Barangay Libertad.

The convoy, belonging to the MILF’s 131st Brigade, consisted of 23 vehicles and five motorcycles traveling from Picong, Lanao del Sur.

Authorities flagged the group for routine verification, but convoy leaders could not produce documentation or proof of coordination with government security forces regarding their movement through the province.

To maintain public safety and preserve local peace mechanisms, joint security forces facilitated the safe return of the entire convoy back to its place of origin in Picong.

Police Col. Leo de Leon Sua, provincial director of the Lanao del Norte Police Provincial Office, said the intervention was intended to prevent potential misunderstandings and enforce existing security protocols.

“Our primary concern is the safety and security of everyone,” Sua said. “We recognize and respect the existing peace mechanisms, and we encourage all concerned parties to observe proper coordination before undertaking organized movements, particularly those involving large convoys.”

Sua assured residents that local police will continue to work alongside the Armed Forces of the Philippines, local government units, and peace stakeholders to preserve order across Lanao del Norte.