Misuari to declare war if gov’t fails to push federalism – Duterte

Nur Misuari. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chair Nur Misuari has threatened to “go to war” if the government fails to pursue federalism, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday.

Misuari and Duterte met on Tuesday in Malacañang, which was already their second in less than a month since the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

The BOL is the product of the government’s negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a breakaway faction of the MNLF.

“Sabi niya (Misuari), sige ito ang gusto ko, federalism,” Duterte said during PDP-Laban’s campaign rally in Marikina City.

“Sabi ni Misuari kagabi, if you do not give it to me, I will go to war,” he added.

The President said he had told Misuari to “form a panel” for the negotiations between the government and separatist group.

Duterte claimed that Misuari wants federalism to reclaim the lands that were taken away from the Moros by the Spanish and American colonizers.

“‘Yan ang inaasahan ng mga Moro para magkarron naman sila…Kwento ko sa inyo ‘yung 1521 na (Ferdinand) Magellan para mabawi nila lupa na inagaw ng mga pari mga Espanyol pati mga Amerikano,” Duterte said.