Duterte meets with Misuari anew, bigger meetings eyed

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte met with Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari over the weekend in Davao City, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go bared Monday.

Go said Duterte and Misuari are eyeing to meet again with “bigger groups” as the government seeks to further boost peace efforts in Mindanao.

“‘Yung usapan, maybe magkakaroon pa ng mga follow-up meetings but between bigger groups na po. Siguro maybe para panel na ‘yung makikipag-usap on both sides (Perhaps there will a meeting with bigger groups in then future),”  Go told reporters on the sidelines of the National Heroes Day rites at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.

Photos shared by Go showed Duterte’s peace adviser Carlito Galvez also present in the meeting.

LOOK: President Duterte meets with MNLF chair Nur Misuari in Davao City over the weekend. 📸 Sen. Go @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/LzHWraZypn

— Darryl John Esguerra (@drrylesguerra) August 26, 2019

Duterte and the MNLF leader previously met on February 25, March 19, and July 10 this year.

READ: Duterte meets with MNLF founder Misuari

The President earlier said he is planning to offer Misuari the same concession the government gave to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a breakaway faction of the MNLF.

Misuari, who went into hiding since the 2013 Zamboanga City siege led by his troops but was later granted temporary freedom, had been in talks with Duterte following the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law which replaced the ARMM with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. /gsg

READ: Duterte praying Misuari will be ‘enlightened’ to settle issues with MNLF