President Rodrigo Duterte said the government remains committed to pursue talks with the Muslim insurgents in Mindanao, adding that failure of such will not solve the injustice done against the Moro people.

“We continue to hang on to the talks because we believe historically they are deprived and that is why we continue to talk to Murad and Nur,” Duterte told reporters here Friday night, September 22.

Duterte was referring to Moro Islamic Liberation Front chairman Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim and the founder of the Moro National Liberation Front chairman Nur Misuari.

Duterte met with members of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission on September 14 in Malacañang and with Misuari on September 16 in Davao City.

The 21-member BTC is the body tasked to craft the Bangsamoro Basic Law which will give way for the creation of the new political entity called the Bangsamoro that will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“I said nobody wins just like Marawi, wala tayong panalo doon puro Pilipino yun,” he said.

He also blamed the “alien ideology” brought by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria for spreading terrorism in Mindanao.

He said the government is already winding up its operations in Marawi City with the enemies constricted only to a limited space.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Zea Capistrano

If you have any stories or news that you would like to share with the global online community, please feel free to share it with us by contacting us directly at [email protected]