Duterte: Federalism to end Mindanao colonization by Manila elite

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte FILE PHOTO

MARAWI CITY—Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said federalism would break what he said was the colonization of Mindanao by the “elite in Manila.”

“The colonization of the Spaniards was continued by the Americans and the elite in Manila after Philippine independence,” Duterte said at a forum on federalism here early this week.

Duterte said the peace and order problem in Mindanao started when colonizers applied the divide-and-rule tactic on Muslims and Christians.

“It was easier to rule a people divided,” he told Maranaos at the GMA gymnasium here on Tuesday, where the forum was held.

The feisty Davao City mayor said a federal form of government will not only end the “fratricidal struggles” between different cultures in Mindanao but will certainly pave the way for prosperity.

He said almost all the countries in Southeast Asia have federal forms of government and are very progressive because they have ended conflicts among their people.

This was why, he said, he wants federalism so badly that he wants to see it in place before he dies.

“I would be happy to die if the Philippines gets federated,” he said.

Duterte also repeated an earlier statement that federalism is the only option to the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

He said the central government must accept federalism for the people of Mindanao or they might resort to separatism.

“It is my dream to see peace in Mindanao,” Duterte added.

Responding to calls made by Maranaos for him to run in the 2016 presidential elections, he said he was more interested in seeing a federal form of government taking shape.

But then, he added that if it was the will of God that he become president, he would gladly oblige.

Duterte reiterated that should he become president, he would declare a revolutionary government “within six months or one year” if he does not get the reforms he wanted. Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao