SIMUAY, Maguindanao — Thousands of Muslims from across Mindanao started to converge along a two-kilometer stretch of the highway here to listen to President Duterte who is expected to arrive on Monday afternoon to grace the Bangsamoro General Assembly.
Roadside stores that sell foods, drinking water, even “Ukay-ukay” (second hand clothing) sprouted like mushrooms on both sides of the road leading to the old Maguindanao provincial capitol in Barangay Crossing Simuay here where the biggest Muslim gathering organized by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is taking place.
Ghadzali Jaafar, vice chair for political affairs, said the assembly aims to update the Moro people about the status of the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law that will establish a new political entity to replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao as a result of the GPH-MILF peace accord.
The Bangsamoro activity is expected to gather a crowd of 500,000 to one million people. Shamera Gundang, 30 of Pikit, North Cotabato, said she and her husband, both MILF sympathizers, wanted to hear from the President what is in store for Moro people under his government.
“I voted for him because I know he has a heart for the Moro people,” Gundang recalled.
Another Moro, a 60-year-old man from Malabang, Lanao del Sur, said he endured the pain of traveling from home to this village to personally listen to President Duterte’s message on the quest for genuine peace in Muslim Mindanao.
Denz Gumarandang said he vowed to support all peace efforts under the Duterte administration while he is still alive.
“Gusto ko makita ang pagkamit ng kapayapaan habang buhay pa ako (I want to see the dawning of peace while I’m still alive),” Gumarandang said.
President Duterte is expected to arrive and land on a chopper at a sprawling Lamsan Trading compound here and motor to the old provincial capitol, about 200 meters away, to speak before the Bangsamoro crowd.
Chief Inspector Julhani Asdani, Sultan Kudarat town police chief, said no untoward incident has been reported so far during the past several days leading to the huge gathering except for some traffic problems.
Army troops in full battle gear backed by armored personnel carriers and MILF in fatigue uniform but unarmed are jointly securing the vicinity of the venue. (PNA)
