Duterte tells Nur Misuari: ‘We’re old, let’s talk’

DAVAO CITY — “We are old. Fighting is no longer an option. Let’s talk,” President Rodrigo Duterte told Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chair Nur Misuari on Thursday.

Duterte, who was the guest at the 69th founding of Ipil town, said he had been trying to talk to the enemies of the state, including Misuari whom he thanked for reining in his forces against the government.

“I’ve been trying to talk to everybody. I’ve been talking to leader Nur Misuari,” Duterte said.

“My brother Nur, thank you for you are able to rein in your forces. Let’s talk because we are old. Fighting is no longer an option, mag uusap na lang tayo (let’s talk),” Duterte said.

He also expressed confidence that the current impasse in the proposed peace talks with the communist-led National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) would eventually lead back to the negotiating table because “war is no longer an option.”

“Sa komunista, mag sturya ra na (With the communists, that will eventually end up back to the talks),” Duterte said. “Eventually, we just have to talk. Someday, I may no longer have to be the president, but we have to talk because we don’t have any other option, we don’t want to fight another war,” Duterte said.

He also told the people of Ipil, who had survived a massacre decades ago, “Do not feel insecure, I promise you that will never happen again.”

“Our Armed Forces is here, we are ready to respond any time,” he said. /ee