COTABATO CITY — Officials in Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) have vowed all-out support for President Duterte’s peace program in southern Philippines to solve the decades-old Moro issue.
Their support was aired as thousands of Moro people from across Mindanao gathered in Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, on Monday for the grand Bangsamoro General Assembly.
Organized by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the gathering aims to show their solidarity to the passing of a basic law that will create new political entity that will give the Bangsamoro the right to govern themselves according to their culture, traditions and beliefs.
The proposed bill is for the implementation of the two peace accords between the government and the MILF, primarily aimed at ending the armed conflict in southern Philippines brought about by historical injustices.
Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu said his administration is determined to provide all support to the efforts to establish the political entity “for this will empower Muslims who have been deprived of their rights in the past.”
His contribution to the development of the Moro people was his scholarship program for poor but deserving young Muslims.
He said he would end his term as governor but whoever succeeds him “will continue what we have started. This program already produced hundreds of Moro professionals,” Mangudadatu said.
Mangudadatu gave his assurance that all the town mayors of Maguindanao are behind all programs of President Duterte because “we all believe our people are the end beneficiaries of all his programs.”
ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman also reaffirmed an earlier commitment for a smooth transition of the ARMM government to the new political entity to be created by the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
“My administration will never be an obstacle to the attainment of peace in the Bangsamoro homeland. We are one with the participants of the assembly,” Hataman said.
House Deputy Speaker Sandra Sema, who represents the first congressional district of Maguindanao, said that as a Muslim lawmaker, she will be present in the assembly.
“By being there, I shall be giving honor to the history of the Bangsamoro people and the Bangsamoro heritage,” Sema said.
The ARMM comprises the cities of Marawi and Lamitan and the provinces of Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-tawi, Sulu and Basilan. (PNA)
