President Rodrigo Duterte (right) embraces MNLF Chair Nur Misuari, who met with the Chief Executive in Malacañang on Tuesday night, March 19, 2019. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / ACE MORANDANTE
MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte and Moro National Liberation Front founding chairperson Nur Misuari met again in Malacañang Tuesday night.
Photos released by Malacañang showed Duterte hugging Misuari in a meeting attended by Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Carlito Galvez Jr. and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr.
Malacañang has yet to issue a statement on the meeting of the two officials.
On February 25, Duterte and Misuari also met in Malacañang.
The day after that first meeting with the President, the Sandiganbayan Third Division granted Misuari’s plea to travel abroad.
READ: Duterte meets Misuari in Malacañang
Misuari is on trial at the Sandiganbayan for two counts of graft and two counts of malversation through falsification of public documents over the alleged anomalous purchase of educational materials when he was still governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
He is also facing rebellion charges for the 2013 Zamboanga siege.
Duterte has revealed that he had called the courts to allow Misuari to travel abroad but Panelo said someone might have told the court about Duterte’s position, dismissing the move as an interference.
READ: Duterte: I asked court to allow Misuari to travel abroad
Panelo said Duterte’s move was mere “persuasion” and not interference. /cbb
READ: Palace: Nothing wrong with Duterte calling court to let Misuari travel abroad