Duterte repeats vow to quit once federalism is assured
DAVAO CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday repeated his willingness to step down from office to give way to a new president as soon as the framework for a federal type of government had been crafted.
“I give you my word, if the framework is already there I will resign to give way to the new president,” Duterte said.
He said he would not wait for his term to end if there would be an assurance that federalism would be fully implemented.
“Accelerate federalism and let us find a configuration of government where the regions are more powerful,” Duterte said, addressing his remarks to Congress. “I will not wait for six years. Just hurry up.”
His dream, Duterte said, had always been to give more power and capacity to local governments and to decentralize the national government.
This, he said, could spur locally-driven development programs.
He the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), for example, has a lot of potential for development, especially Liguasan Marsh, believed to have a large oil deposit.
The trick and challenge would be for the Bangsamoro people to elect good officials that would lead their federal state, he said.
“You elect men who are really honest, those who have fervor to help their fellow Moros,” he said.
He also appealed to the Moro people – including the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) – to work together for peace and unite to lead their own region.
He also urged those who continue to wage war against the government to “stop it.”
To the Abu Sayyaf and other terrorist groups, he said they should already stop the attacks – including bombing – so that development can take place.
If they wouldn’t, he said he would gladly help them “go to the ISIS.”
“I’ll buy you a ticket,” Duterte added.
“Things will improve and you will have your own share of development money,” Duterte said as he called for an end to hostilities in Mindanao.
Duterte said peace and progress can be achieved in Mindanao through the unity of the people along with the shift to federalism.
“This is my dream for my country. This is my wish for Mindanao,” he added. –ATM
