President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday night again offered peace to the Abu Sayyaf and asked the armed group to stop committing criminal activities because he did not want to fight fellow Filipinos.
He made the statement even as a senior lawmaker on Friday called for better coordination between the legislature and Malacañang to provide funding for two “must-fund” items in the 2019 national budget”•the Bangsamoro Organic Law and the tax share of local governments.
Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. said “budget space” must be created in the 2019 budget for those mandates, “which were not factored in” when the proposed P3.757-trillion outlay was being finalized by Malacañang.
“At least P160 billion will be needed to finance these two. And this estimate is on the low side, Andaya, former Budget secretary, said.
In other developments:
* Senator Win Gatchalian on Friday urged the communist rebels to take inspiration from the example set by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front.
He also urged the Moro rebels to engage the government in good-faith peace talks to finally bring an end to the decades-old communist struggle.
• Senator Sonny Angara said they were grateful to the President and to both houses of Congress for giving priority to the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
As chairman of the Senate committee on local government, Angara said, it was their hope that the greater powers and autonomy given the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao would be used for the greater good and welfare of its residents.
“We are hopeful that a new chapter in the history of the Bangsamoro will make their lives better,・ he said.
Duterte made his message to the Abu Sayyaf, known for kidnapping civilians, in a speech during a visit to fire victims in Zamboanga City.
“I come in peace. Are you mad at me? Why are you angry with me?” the President said.
He called for an end to the violence in Mindanao and urged the Abu Sayyaf members to surrender to the government so they could be given the same treatment as the members of the New People’s Army.
Duterte is hoping that the kidnappings and other crimes will soon end in Mindanao.
“All of us Malays, weæ± e not like that. We are not as vicious as the Arabs. Thatç—´ true, I知 not insulting the Arabs. That is how they do, how they fight,・ he said.
The President said he would visit Jolo, Sulu, but said “I will go to Jolo and you will kill me. For what? What will you get?”
Duterte even cracked a joke to the Abu Sayyaf, saying he would impose taxes on the ransom being paid to the group if he could.
This was not the first time Duterte made conciliatory remarks to the bandit group notorious for kidnapping-for-ransom schemes and the beheading of hostages.
In 2016 and in April this year, Duterte pleaded to the Abu Sayyaf to stop kidnapping civilians and killing them if they could not get ransom money. With Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta
