Sunday, September 6, 2020

Duterte wants peace in Sulu

Posted to the Mindanao Examiner (Sep 6, 2020): Duterte wants peace in Sulu

PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE has sought the help of Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan to help him talk peace, but at the same time he said security forces have a mission to crush the insurgents.





Gov. Sakur Tan gestures as he speaks to President Rodrigo Duterte in Jolo town where the Filipino leader offer flowers for those who perished in the twin bombings.

Duterte was referring to the Abu Sayyaf which is being blamed for the recent twin suicide bombings in the capital town of Jolo that killed over a dozen soldiers and civilians, and left scores of innocent people injured.

The President flew to Sulu on August 31 and inspected the site of the attacks and eventually kneeled and kissed the ground as he paid respect to those who perished in the blasts.


President Rodrigo Duterte kisses the ground at the blast site in Jolo town.

“Ikaw ‘yung — I address you because ikaw ‘yung nire-respeto ko. You have a colorful life. Kung sa patay, dapat patay ka na sa dinaanan mo sa buhay, and yet you are still here around. Why don’t you try to help me within the next few months last term just to talk about peace? It need not really be a — an arrangement, just talk about peace,” Duterte told Tan, a well-respected and influential leader in the South.

“Mahirap kasi because ang bomba hindi kasi namimili eh. Iyan ang problema. At kung ang pinatay mo inosente, there will always be a time that you will have to answer for the killing of an innocent human being. Maski anong klaseng relihiyon. Allah says about revenge; Allah says about you know, the giving, the taking of life; and Allah says that there is also a time to answer for all of these things,” he added.

He also appealed to everybody to support the government’s peace efforts, however, Duterte warned that “if we cannot really agree, then we fight and we fight hard hanggang magkaubusan na. Maybe by that time, kung ubos na ang lahat, wala ng giyera. Sa pagka ngayon, hindi ko mapigil ang mga sundalo ko kasi may mission sila and the mission is to crush the insurgents. And the insurgents, ang mission nila is for the greater glory of Allah.”

“So ang hinihingi ko lang sa inyo na even as you fight, think about peace. Because if I will say to you that this is 2020, 2021 aalis na ako. Ang ibig mong sabihin 2023, 2024, 2025, hanggang 2050 ganoon pa rin? Hindi na lang sa relihiyon na ipagpa — magpakamatay ka. It’s about your generation. How about the flowering of the Moro na kagaya ng ibang lugar, Dubai? When will the Moro Filipino ever taste all these luxuries? But only when the leader also, be he a Muslim or a Christian, shall govern according to the will of Allah, of God. Iyan lang,” he said.

In the meantime, Duterte said “we fight and sa pagka-ngayon, sabi ko I cannot offer anything because I have also my mandate. I do not only order, I impose duties na gawin ninyo ito. But if in God’s time, maybe — kailan ‘yon? — we will have a time to talk and to ponder about peace at ‘yung mga anak ninyo. Biruin mo naman palakihin mo, hindi mo nga padapuan ng lamok, but only to die walking there on the streets kasama mo. And you know ‘yung give and take na vengeance, if it is hatred, it cannot be stopped anymore, hardly. So it is [an] impossible dream. It is an unreachable star. But it behooves upon us, tayong mga leader, even to try and even to talk as we wage war.”

“Ako, I do not find anything reprehensible in talking to my enemy across the table and at the same time ordering my soldiers to fight. That’s the only way for us to move forward at this time. But I hope — I hope that Allah will someday give the light to the minds of everybody.”

Tan thanked Duterte for visiting Sulu and condoling with the victims’ families and renewed his strong commitment and assured the President of the Tausug’s “all-out support to peace.”


Gov. Sakur Tan at the blast sites in Jolo town. (Jean Alfad)

A senior provincial official, Jean Alfad, said Tan also inspected the blast sites even before Duterte’s arrival. In her Facebook page, Alfad - referring to Tan - wrote this: “He walked profoundly through the blast site with aching heart. He said “makaulung in tau..." and his next words which I will just keep in my heart and mind, was a heavy sorrow.”

“It may be too much for me to say, I can feel you Boss because you have far greater responsibility to bear and you see the entirety and precise viewpoints of the situation as leader of this province saddled with protracted conflict, but, only a strong leader like you with a sturdy and firm resolve can handle such highly complex issues. May you continue to stand for your people and may your people continue to pray for your safety, divine guidance, courage, conviction and wisdom. Continue to walk with faith, TAWAQQALLAH,” Alfad said and accompanying this was two photos of Tan at the blast sites, still cordoned off from the public. (Mindanao Examiner)

http://mindanaoexaminernewspaper.blogspot.com/2020/09/duterte-wants-peace-in-sulu.html

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