(Eagle News) – Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chair Nur Misuari vowed to help President Duterte to pursue peace in Mindanao, in a spirited speech in Malacanang delivered in a podium used by the President.
To express his sincerity in pushing for peace in the usually war-torn Southern Philippines, President Duterte directed the lifting of the warrants of arrest against MNLF’s Misuari so the government could pursue peace talks with the MNLF.
At the start of the press conference, President Duterte said he was happy to announce that Misuari has agreed to talk peace with the government.
“I have great news for you. It is with great happiness that I announce to the nation that Chairman Nur Misuari, our brother who heads the MNLF, has accepted his invitation for him to talk to us,” Duterte said.
He even invited Misuari to use the podium reserved for the President of the land to deliver his speech.
The presidential seal was already removed before Misuari approached the podium, in a historic occasion which saw Misuari vowing to help Duterte whom he called as a man he has a lot of respect for.
After starting his speech with the universal greetings for peace, a surprised Misuari said he came to Malacanang only to see the President.
“Because I came here only in answer to the invitation of the President, the man whom I respect and trust.”
He said that he did not even think that he would be addressing an audience in Malacanang using the podium previously used by the President.
Misuari said he believed Duterte was “the single man who can provide the solution of peace in our homeland in Mindanao.”
“Now I am so happy to be free again, owing to the initiative of our President,” he said.
Misuari recalled the first time he was in Malacanang, at the Freedom Park, during the time of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, when he demonstrated against the killings of Moro soldiers in Corregidor by allegedly members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, for what is known as the Jabidah or Corregidor massacre in March 1968.
He was then a professor at the University of the Philippines, but he said, he decided to leave the teaching profession – his first love—when he heard that Marcos issued a statement promoting the “executioners of the Moslems in Corregidor.”
Misuari said he initially told Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza that he would rather “let the President speak for us.” But as things turned out, he was asked by the President himself to address the press conference.
The MNLF chair also said he was also not happy with the performance of some media people.
“They distort my statement. Some of them used to insist MNLF is a spent force,” he said.
When the Zamboanga siege happened in September 2013, he said even the administration of then President Benigno Aquino III recognized that the MNLF is still a strong force.
Misuari said he came to Malacanang, because he could not refuse Duterte’s invitation.
“I respect him too much,” he said.
“And now I came here, foremost in my mind, how can we help our President finish his job through to the end of his six-year term because I know for a fact that he will not abandon his pledge to the people,” Misuari said referring to the President’s pledge to pursue peace in Mindanao.
“So I support him for that,” he stressed.
Misuari said he also supported Duterte’s campaign against drugs. He said the drug menace was “destroying our youth, our children.”
And at the end of his speech, Misuari reiterated “his sense of gratitude to the President and my promise should he need our cooperation in his campaign for peace.”
“You can count on us Mr. President,” he added. (Eagle News Service)