President Duterte is willing to grant “concessions,” including awarding of public lands, to communist rebels and Muslim insurgents as part of the peace negotiations with the government.
The President recognized that the rebels would not simply lay down their guns without getting any resources and funds to start over.
“We can only talk and if you are able to convince the communists, they would require a huge amount, resources. They will not go into a surrendering mode by just simply dropping the guns. They would ask for concessions,” the President said during an agri-business forum in Davao City last Friday.
“Concessions would be land, which is very good. I agree with them, I can open up the whole, the entire Republic of the Philippines, all public lands ibigay ko, tutal hindi naman nagagamit, especially for food,” he said.
Duterte said he would also be “happy” not only giving such land but also funds amounting to “another billions of pesos” to the rebels talking peace with the government.
In the government’s peace process with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the President said he would allow the return of the territory they owned for centuries in Mindanao.
“Ang MN, MI, they would relish a return of a fraction of what they own,” the President said. Duterte however admitted there would be a “huge expenditure” to develop the Muslim territory since “they have lost that initiative for all of these years, they’ve been fighting for their land.”
In an unprecedented move, the government has declared a ceasefire with the communist rebels, released several political prisoners, and taped some left-leaning activists to the Cabinet. These measures aimed to show the government’s sincerity in resuming the peace talks with the local communist group in Oslo, Norway.
“Right at the start of my administration, we also started the talks, and I’m very happy. Now we are freed of the countryside vis-a-vis itong Communist Party of the Philippines, NDF (National Democratic Front), NPA (New People’s Army),” Duterte said.
Meantime, the President said he would hold a meeting with MNLF founding chairman, Nur Misuari, this week on efforts to advance the peace process in Mindanao.
“Misuari is getting out of Jolo next (this) week, and we’ll begin the talks,” he said.
Earlier, Misuari has been assured by Duterte that he could come out of hiding without the fear of getting arrested. Law enforcers have been ordered not to enforce the arrest warrant against Misuari, who has long been wanted for the deadly Zamboanga siege in 2013.
“That’s my order to the police and the military. Why? I am not a war-type president. My job is to seek peace for my land. So you have to talk to everybody,” he said.
The President also reiterated the need to address the armed conflicts in Mindanao stemming from the historical injustices committed by American and Spanish colonizers against the Moro people.
“Iyong Islam naman was already thriving here in Mindanao. As a matter of fact, Islam was 100 percent dito sa Mindanao because Mindanao was really part — you go to the archives of Malaysia and itong sa Indonesia, there’s a part there about the Philippines and how the missionaries came here,” he said.
Duterte said he leaves it to leaders of different MNLF factions – Misuari, Muslimin Sema, and Abul Khayr Alonto, who is chair of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) – on how to “fix internal dynamics” but he said the three of them are willing to talk again.
Duterte said the MILF leadership is also willing to talk with his government after the botched approval of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law or BBL.
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