Duterte seeks dialogue with Moro leaders about Bangsamoro

President Rodrigo Duterte delivered a speech on Monday, March 26, 2018, at the Capitol Multi-Purpose Gynasium in Barangay Bangkal in Patikul, Sulu, after inspecting a cache of loose firearms that local government units of the province handed over to the military. The firearms were turned over by members of the Abu Sayyaf Group who had surrendered. (Photo from an RTVM video)

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he would have a dialogue with the Moros, saying he was worried about the result of merging Mindanao provinces under one Bangsamoro entity.

Duterte was in Patikul, Sulu on Monday to check on the situation of members of the Abu Sayyaf Group who had surrendered and witness the handover of firearms from the terrorists.

“Nangangamba ako would it do well to mix it all in one pot. Meaning to say, kayo bang mga Joloano handa na mamumuno ang isang Maranao? Kagaya ng ARMM [Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao] ngayon?” he said in a speech bfore local officials and residents there.

He said he was wondering if the Bangsamoro entity could be further divided according tribes.

“Yan ang problema kung ngayon while the BBL [Bangsamoro Basic Law] is being processed in Congress,” he said. “Pagdating ng panahon, who heads what? Magkanya-kanya ba o pwede bang isang ilagay mo sa isang governing authority and who would it be? I have to fathom it.”

The President said he would talk to Moro leaders to get their sentiments about the BBL.

“We have to talk – talk and talk – until we find the solution,” he said. “I cannot give you a timeline now simply because busy ako. But next week, I will expect you the whole day para mag-usap tayo. Isang araw talaga ‘yan, isang araw.”

“Then hopefully… at the end of the day, we should come up with something that’s very solid. And that’s the time that I would talk to Nur and talk to Murad,” he added.

Nur Misuari is the founder of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), while Al Haj Murad Ebrahim is the chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Duterte said he could meet the Moro leaders in Malacañang or could fly back to Mindanao to consult them.

He said he wanted a BBL that would be “acceptable to everybody” by the end of 2018.

“I want to have a result of this by the end of the year,” he said. “I want it solved to the best way that is acceptable to everybody.”

“It’s running in the grid sa Congress and we must have the answer by the time it is ready,” he added. /atm