Philippine police and military personnel stopped an armed convoy linked to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) at a border checkpoint in Lanao del Norte after the group failed to present the required travel documents.
Government security forces flagged the MILF 131st Brigade convoy at 7.30am on Wednesday, September 2, at a checkpoint in Barangay Libertad, Kolambugan, in Lanao del Norte. Officers said the group could not show documents or proof of prior coordination allowing them to move through the province.
Convoy composition and verification
Personnel from the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company of the Lanao del Norte Police Provincial Office, working with troops from the Philippine Army’s 5th Mechanised Battalion, were conducting checkpoint operations when they verified the convoy.
The convoy consisted of 23 vehicles and five motorcycles and involved roughly 200 MILF members led by Lungga Dimaampao.
Authorities said the group had secured coordination for travel, but it only covered movement inside Lanao del Sur, not entry into neighbouring Lanao del Norte. Security concerns were also raised because about half of those travelling were said to be in uniform and carrying high-powered firearms, Philippine News Agency reported.
Security measures and official response
With stricter measures in place across the region ahead of the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections, uncoordinated armed travel is heavily restricted. Lanao del Norte PPO Provincial Director PCOL Leo De Leon Sua said the intervention was about preventing tensions from escalating, Daily Tribune reported.
He said: “Our primary concern is the safety and security of everyone. We recognise and respect the existing peace mechanisms, and we encourage all concerned parties to observe proper coordination before undertaking organised movements, particularly those involving large convoys.”
Sua added that following the correct process would avoid confusion on the ground. He said proper coordination would “help prevent misunderstandings and ensure that peace and order are maintained in local communities”.
Resolution and return
The stand-off was resolved without violence after what officials described as a constructive dialogue between troops, police and MILF members. Peace mechanisms were activated, with the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities and the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group stepping in to manage the incident in line with agreed protocols.
MILF leaders acknowledged the provincial travel restrictions and the prohibition on carrying firearms across boundaries, and agreed to turn back. The convoy was safely escorted back to Picong in Lanao del Sur.
In a partial exception, security forces allowed five vehicles, carrying only unarmed civilians, to continue on to their original destination for an MILF monthly assembly meeting. Sua said the LDN PPO would keep working with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, local government units and other partners to keep the area calm.
The police office said it remains committed to strengthening coordination among concerned parties and supporting efforts toward lasting peace and stability in Lanao del Norte.
