Duterte and Misuari agree to create peace coordinating body

MANILA, Philippines—President Rodrigo Duterte and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chair Nur Misuari agreed to organize the government and MNLF panels that will serve as the foundation of the peace coordinating committee, Malacañang said Tuesday.

This was the product of Duterte and Misuari’s meeting in Malacañang on Monday night, Duterte’s spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

According to Panelo, the meeting was a “continuation” of their most recent meeting last August.

READ: Duterte meets with Misuari anew, bigger meetings eyed

“Their suggestion is that there should be a committee that will help in the peace process,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

“Kaya ‘yung coordinating committee crineate ‘yun [Thus the creation of the coordinating committee],” he added.

Panelo, who is also Duterte’s chief legal counsel, said joining him in the government panel is National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez, Jr. and a representative from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The Palace official added that Duterte and Misuari will meet again in Davao City by December to finalize the agreement.

Also present during the meeting in Malacañang were Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, Senator Christopher Go, and Solicitor General Jose Calida.

Earlier, Galvez said they are eyeing to finish the “substantial agreements” of the government and the MNLF peace deal within Duterte’s term.

READ: Gov’t, MNLF creating panels to ‘move forward’ in peace talks