Posted to the Moro National Liberation Front Website (Oct 19): Roadmap to MNLF-Duterte Government Peace Talks (Part 1)
Betrayal of Mindanao Peace by Manila Government
Through American and Filipino conspiracy after the arbitrary colonization of the Bangsamoro homeland of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan (MINSUPALA) in 1946 that led to the establishment of the so-called ‘Philippine Republic,’ the historical injustice triggered the devastating Filipino-Moro in Mindanao in contemporary period. The bloody war has to date resulted in the killing of more than 200,000 precious lives. The mortality rate is still mounting.
Simply viewed by MNLF Peace Panel Spokesman Reverend Absalom Cerveza, ”the U.S. government erroneously blundered in creating the oppressive Philippine colonialism on the basis of colossal injustice.”
Indeed, the nagging Mindanao war today has only condemned both the Filipino colonialist land-grabbers and the Tri-People (Muslim, Lumad and Christian) of Mindanao into a “war of genocide and extermination”.
REVEREND ABSALOM CERVEZA: MNLF Peace Panel Spokesman said that "the United States government erroneously blundered in creating the oppressive Philippine colonialism on the basis of colossal injustice." He also stressed that the American blunder has led to the mass killing of Mindanao natives today.
Apparently, the American land-grabbers have expressed no remorseful attitude in committing this heinous crime against humanity. Instead they only justify the criminal act land-grabbing as “pacification campaign” against “savage natives” that need to know the art of “democracy,” “freedom” and other deceptive catch-phrase hyperbole. To date, America has not admitted the human rights abuses committed against the oppressed Bangsamoro people. But the U.S. government has the temerity to admonish other nations for the repressive crime it enforced on the indigenous peoples.
Post illegal annexation of MINSUPALA by Manila government, the Filipino-Moro conflict flared up when Datu Abdulmajid Panoniongan and Datu Tawantawan supported by courageous Maranaw fighters openly battled the Filipino military colonialist occupation forces in Lanao. In Sulu, Maas Kamlon and a big number of Tausug warriors staged an armed uprising which lasted for several years in the 1950s. The Kamlon-led Tausug revolutionaries wiped out the Philippine military Korea war veteran ‘Nenita unit’ to the last man standing.
The Filipino-Moro war continued with the full scale launching of the freedom struggle by the Moro National Liberation (MNLF) under Chairman Prof. Nur Misuari in the 1960s. It has continued up to date for almost 50 years.
In suppressing the sentiments for complete liberation from Philippine colonialism of the colonized victims in early 1950s, the Philippine Quirino government treacherously engaged the Kamlon revolutionaries in peaceful negotiations in capturing and imprisoning the legendary Tausug freedom fighter. The treacherous incarceration of the Bangsamoro leader and the death of the Maranaw revolutionary leaders temporarily halted the armed struggle. But Philippine colonial duplicity and state terrorism did not bury the armed Bangsamoro freedom struggle.
True to form and substance projected by America-oriented colonial land-grabbing policy, the Quirino regime painted the Moro freedom fighters as “outlaws” in challenging the ‘Philippine Constitution’ or the ‘law of the land’ that only bespeaks of the “law of the jungle” carried out only by terroristic military might. Filipino colonialist occupation soldiers only imposed oppressive colonial rule by terrorizing the Muslim natives of Mindanao. But the colonized victims stood their ground challenging the cruelty and wickedness of the Filipino colonizers during and beyond the Qurino regime.
Consequently, Philippine colonialism under the Marcos regime sparked the floodgates of far advanced Bangsamoro people’s revolution that was valiantly waged by the Nur Misuari-led MNLF freedom fighters after the grotesque Jabidah massacre of March 18, 1968. The freedom struggle progressed throughout the Bangsamoro homeland of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan.
Unable to quell the MNLF-launched Bangsamoro people’s liberation struggle against the Manila government, the Marcos dictatorship sought the diplomatic intervention of then Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to help solve the Filipino-Moro war in Mindanao in early 1970s. This led to the Philippine government-MNLF peace talks and forging of the Tripoli Peace Agreement in 1976.
Thus, using the same colonial strategy from 1976 up to 2016, Philippine colonialism under President/Dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, Presidents Corazon C. Aquino, Fidel V. Ramos, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Benigno S. Aquino III engaged the MNLF and break-away group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in peace talks. The peace parley led to the forging of respective peace agreements. But it was clearly observed that the political end game was only to betray Mindanao peace by using ‘peace process’ the convenient instrument. The Office of Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) deceptively executed the demolition task in modern period.
MANILA-BASED FILIPINO COLONIALIST LAND-GRABBERS: Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon boldly presided the actual land-grabbing of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan (MINSUPALA). President Ferdinand E. Marcos heightened the Filipino-Moro conflict by conducting a genocide war against the colonized Bangsamoro people. Presidents Corazon C. Aquino, Joseph E. Estrada, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Benigno S. Aquino III pursued the war of genocide and extermination in order to perpetuate the land-grabbing of the Bangsamoro ancestral homeland of the Muslim and Lumad natives. The Luzon-based Filipino colonialist presidents, like Quezon, Quirino, Marcos, Aquino, Estrada, Arroyo, Aquino III, and others, have only displayed deceptive political will in depriving the Indigenous Peoples of Mindanao of their freedom, independence and national self-determination.
How and why? Manila-based Filipino colonialist land-grabbers, like Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon, President Elpidio Qurino, Dictator-President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Presidents Corazon Aquino, Joseph E. Estrada, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Benigno S. Aquino III, used simply the so-called Philippine Constitution’ in justifying the occupation and continued land-grabbing of the ancestral homeland of the Muslim and Lumad natives of MINSUPALA.
PRESIDENT ELPIDIO QUIRINO: Philippine President Elpidio Quirino tricked the Moro revolutionary leader Maas Kamlon into a peace dialogue by utilizing a local Tausug leader. The Quirino regime instead treacherously arrested Maas Kamlon and jailed him for several years until pardoned by the Marcos government out of old age.
USING ‘PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION’ AS “LAW OF THE JUNGLE”
The Filipino colonizers conveniently used the majesty of ‘Philippine Constitution’ and “rule of law” in camouflaging the “rule of the jungle.” That is “might is right.” The all-Christian Commonwealth National Assembly members, majority Christian lawmakers in both Houses of Philippine Congress today and all-Christian chief justices and associate justices in Philippine Supreme Court have only become proud patronizing and mouthing “constitutional” the gruesome injustice committed against the Muslim and Lumad natives of Mindanao.
Obsessed of political and economic gluttony learned from the American land-grabbers, the unscrupulous commonwealth period Christian Filipino politicians enacted the ‘Quirino-Recto Colonization Act’ in justifying the broad-daylight robbery of the ancestral Bangsamoro homeland.
“Constitutional” and “sovereignty” have been flagrantly used by the Filipino colonialist leaders, disguised lawmakers, treaty brokers (or peace panelists), academicians and media opinion makers as a doublespeak in confusing and dishing out disinformation related to the land-grabbing of the Bangsamoro ancestral homeland by America-fabricated Philippine Republic.
Consciously or unconsciously, using “tyranny of numbers” and distorted justice, both the Filipino political leaders and lawmakers have used the “law of the jungle” that “might is right” in the form of brutish military campaigns in prolonging Philippine colonialism and state terrorism in Mindanao. And such monumental injustice has contributed to continue the Filipino-Moro war in Mindanao until today.
PATRONIZING INJUSTICE AND CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY
Philippine colonialism under any Manila-based political rulers has only ignored and shelved to the dustbin of history the crime against humanity committed by the Spanish, American, Japanese and Filipino colonizers against the Muslim and Lumad natives as well as conscious Christians of Mindanao.
Thus, it is only but providential that two prominent conscious Mindanao-based Christian leaders emerged to tell the truth about the gross injustice done by American imperialism and Philippine colonialism to the oppressed colonized victims in Filipino-occupied Mindanao.
According to Mindanao Cardinal Orlando Quevedo and President Rodrigo R. Duterte, “injustice” is no less than the root cause of the Mindanao conflict.
It is quite sad that the Manila-based Filipino and once Spanish, American and Japanese colonialist land-grabbers have not admitted and recognized the naked injustice perpetrated against the colonized victims. But they have only remained deaf, blind and proud of patronizing and encouraging the heinous crime against the oppressed humanity.
Similar to the colonial destructive strategy of the U.S. government to extinct the historical identity and sovereignty of the aboriginal American ‘Indian Nations’, Philippine colonialism utilized the same inhumane stratagem. The Filipino colonizers also designed in erasing the national Bangsamoro identity and sovereignty of the colonized victims of Mindanao. The simple strategy is just to perpetuate the evil that is Philippine colonialism in Mindanao, including the integration of the Bangsamoro people into its rotten body politic. Alas, to be identified ridiculously as a “Filipino.”
Blindly patronizing the Filipino psyche, “look Asian, think Spanish and act American,” the ‘Filipinos’ (originally the children of Spanish soldiers and friars) and the Christianized ‘Indios’ of Luzon have not graduated from being subjects of the immoral Spanish King Philip II or simply colonial slaves of Spain. They too have passionately embraced the double talk policy of brutish America.
Thus, it is quite strange why Filipino colonialist leaders demand the Muslim and Lumad natives of Mindanao to embrace and adopt the slavish Filipino identity. Filipino historians and academicians cannot just accept the historical reality that the unconquered Bangsamoro people fought the Spanish conquistadores for more than 300 years, the American invaders for more than 40 years and the Japanese imperialists for almost 5 years in defense of their freedom and ancestral homeland. Never the Filipinos! And this included the Christianized Indios-transformed-Filipinos, who were only used by the Catholic Hispanic marauders as “mercenaries and spies” in the Spanish-Moro war, according to the known Asian Muslim historian Dr. Cesar Adib Majul.
Truth to tell, the centerpiece of the Bangsamoro liberation struggle today is against Filipino colonialism and state terrorism that have only brought misery, suffering and agony to the colonized victims quite similarly with the Spanish, American and Japanese land-grabbing campaigns in the past.
Today, the Manila-based Filipino colonialist rulers have only resulted to engaging the Bangsamoro people in peace talks and forging peace agreement. But they have never sincerely considered the total and correct implementation of the peace agreements.
PEACE AGREEMENTS BETRAYED BY ‘IMPERIAL MANILA’
In 1976, the Tripoli Peace Agreement was forged under the Marcos government. But the Marcos regime never considered implementing the Tripoli agreement. It merely decided to deceive the MNLF by dividing its rank and file that led to the killing of Sulu-based Tabak Brigade Commander Brig. Gen. Teodolfo Bautista and a big number of AFP officers and soldiers in their treacherous military operation in fragmentalizing the MNLF leadership and grass root members in 1977.
In 1986, Philippine colonialism under President Corazon C. Aquino lured the MNLF to talk peace that forged the 1987 Jeddah Peace Accord based on the implementation of the 13-province and 8-city Tripoli agreement. But this was never fully implemented by the Aquino regime. It opted instead to solve the Mindanao war with a “ten plus three” political formula that the MNLF leadership rejected as contrary to the letter and spirit of the Tripoli agreement.
The Aquino government instead proceeded in creating the farcical 4-province Autonomous Region in Mindanao (ARMM) using the constitutional “law of the jungle” based on “tyranny of numbers” in Philippine Congress. But the ARMM never did succeed to end the Filipino-Moro war in Mindanao. It was in later years declared a “failed experiment” by the BS Aquino III government.
In 1992, the Philippine Ramos government revived the peace talks with the MNLF in forging the September 2, 1996 MNLF-OIC-GRP Jakarta Peace Agreements, including the implementation of the Tripoli agreement.
The Ramos administration decreed the creation of the 13-province and 9-city Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development (SPCPD). But SPCPD was without budgetary and political empowerment. It served only a sort of monitoring body to supervise the so-called “zone of peace and development” (ZOPAD) in Mindanao. It could have ended the Filipino-Moro war in Mindanao if the succeeding Manila government rulers developed the political will to empower the SPCPD to become an effective and genuine Bangsamoro Autonomous Government (BAG) as contemplated by the MNLF.
However, from 1998 to 2001, Philippine colonialism under President Joseph E. Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo totally ignored the implementation of the 1996 Peace agreement.
The Estrada regime declared an “all-out war” against Ustaj Salamat Hashim-led MILF, succeeding to capture the main military camp Abubakar as-Siddique. The Estrada watch though was only short-lived because it was toppled by Vice-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who succeeded in serving president for more than eight years.
In the year 2000, the Arroyo dispensation conspired with Malaysia’s Mahathir regime in creating the so-called 15-Executive Council (EC) MNLF in discrediting MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari and dividing the Bangsamoro people and freedom fighters. The Arroyo-Mahathir conspiracy replaced the MNLF chairman as SPCPD chair by Malacanang’s puppet Mayor Muslimen Sema and anointed Dr. Parouk Hussin as replacement of Chairman Misuari as ARMM governor. The political Arroyo-Mahathir conspiracy also targeted the shelving of the Sulu Sultanate-authorized Philippine Sabah claim, earning huge monetary consideration for both political conspirators.
MNLF UN PETITION FOR INDEPENDENT BANGSAMORO REPUBLIK
The Arroyo government proceeded in establishing the 5-province ARMM with the help of the rubber-stamp Philippine Congress that prompted the MNLF chairman in abandoning totally the ARMM governorship. The MNLF conducted a Bangsamoro people’s general assembly in Cabatangan Complex in Zamboanga City in reviving the establishment of the Bangsamoro Republik as a separate nation-state to be recognized by the United Nations (UN). The formal petition was submitted to the UN Decolonization Committee in New York on December 10, 2000.
The Arroyo-Mahathir conspiracy to neutralize and sideline MNLF Chairman Misuari in any peace talks leading to Mindanao peace also included the controversial arrest of the MNLF chairman in Sabah. The Mahathir regime surrendered him to the Arroyo government to be charged for rebellion and was incarcerated for almost five years until the OIC demanded for his release.
Nonetheless, similar to the Aquino version 4-province ARMM, the 5-province ARMM created by the Arroyo regime never did succeed to end the bloody Mindanao war. The Arroyo government only transformed the new ARMM into the scandalous “cheating capital of Philippine elections” that was used to steal the presidency from the popular would-be President Fernando Poe, Jr.
ANTECEDENTS OF BETRAYAL OF MINDANAO PEACE BY MANILA GOVERNMENT
It was clearly noted that the Marcos government in 1976 and the Aquino administration in 1987 only betrayed the trust of the MNLF and Bangsamoro people by not implementing the Tripoli Peace Agreement and the Jeddah Peace Accord. This was despite the signing of peace agreements in Tripoli and Jeddah witnessed by the powerful Organization of Islamic Conference and later Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
In similar vein, the Estrada, Arroyo and Aquino III government totally ignored the correct and complete implementation of the September 2, 1996 MNLF-OIC-GRP Jakarta Peace Agreements. Yet, the Philippine Ramos government had already paved the way for the correct implementation of the peace agreement with the establishment of the 13-province and 9-city Southern Philippine Council for Peace and Development that needed only political and budgetary empowerment.
Thus, with the continued betrayal of Mindanao peace by the Manila government, the Filipino-Moro war in Mindanao is still raging today with catastrophic consequences. Worst, the continuation of the Mindanao war is today highlighted by the introduction of “global scale terrorism” to justify the coming and presence of the U.S. soldiers in Mindanao. This was compounded by America’s introduction of ‘drone war’ to further terrorize the colonized victims.
It is observed that the western powers today are bent to discredit Islam and destroy Muslim image worldwide. By using the captive global media, the foreign powers have associated the oppressed Islamic humanity to mass terroristic activities that became once the trademark of the Roman, Persian, German, Soviet, British and American terrorists in waging land-grabbing bloody wars against native inhabitants in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. The captive global media has highlighted terrorism with “Jihadism”, “Islamic jihadist” and ISIS depredations to misinform humanity.
Could this be part of the strategy of Zionist captive western powers to forestall the Islamization of the whole humanity that is gradually happening today?
WHY DID AQUINO III GOVERNMENT SPARK AFP-MNLF ZAMBOANGA CITY WAR?
The Aquino government in 2013 misread the capability of the MNLF to continue the freedom struggle of the Bangsamoro people. It only engaged in deception utilizing Deles-led OPAPP. It attempted in deceiving the OIC, MNLF, Chairman Murad Ebrahim-led MILF and Prime Minister Najib Razak-led Malaysian government to cash-in on the possibility of the Kuala Lumpur-negotiated Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) political settlement to achieve “just and lasting peace” in war-torn Mindanao.
Per OIC exclusive report, the Aquino regime maneuvered to phase-out the task of the MNLF-OIC-GRP Tri-Partite Committee to reconcile salient disagreements related to the 1996 peace agreement. The MNLF viewed the mischievous aborted move in order to discontinue the correct implementation of the 1996 peace agreement. The Deles-led OPAPP denied though the duplicity when the whole plan backfired. It instead concentrated to seemingly realize the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in consonant with the wish of the MILF and federal Malaysia government. But, at the end of the day, the Aquino regime mysteriously sanctioned the Mamapasano invasion with the pretext of hunting down one “Malaysian terrorist” (Marwan) to kill finally the BBL in Philippine Congress.
Thus, it was noted that the hidden motive of the Aquino regime was only to buy time in executing a diabolical plan to hoodwink federal Malaysia government and the MILF “hopefuls”. At the exact time of its lame-duck period, the Aquino regime conspired with American intelligence group in stage-managing the Mamapasano invasion that only ended in fiasco for the Philippine National Police (PNP) and BBL.
It is now recalled that the prelude events to the 2016 “killing” of BBL could be related to the March 2013 Sabah war between the federal Malaysian soldiers and royal forces of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo (SSNB). Clearly now, it would also explain the 2015 official visit of President Benigno S. Aquino III to Kuala Lumpur.
Could the related past events gain personal political goodwill and huge monetary considerations for the Filipino president at the expense of Sulu Sultanate-owned North Borneo that the BBL concept envisaged to erase totally?
On this turn of event, the MNLF developed no option but to revert back to its original objective on waging a militant struggle to regain complete freedom and national self-determination for the Bangsamoro people under Philippine colonialism. The MNLF leadership called for peaceful public demonstration and rally to support the declaration of independence of the United Federated States of Bangsamoro Republik (UFSBR).
Street peaceful assembly of MNLF members and mass supporters were held in Jolo, Basilan and Davao City causing no untoward repercussion relating to the public and loud proclamation of Bangsamoro independence. But the scheduled September 2013 peace rally in Zamboanga City was banned by the local government under Mayor Maria Isabel Climaco. Worst, some MNLF members were harassed, jailed and tortured that forced the active MNLF members to arm themselves and called for reinforcement from Basilan and Sulu MNLF forces.
Once Sulu-based MNLF forces under Ustaj Khaber Malik arrived in the city, the September AFP-MNLF blood-letting occurred for almost 20 days. The bloody AFP-MNLF war could have ended after five days, but then President Benigno S. Aquino III and DILG Secretary Manuel Roxas II rejected the ceasefire talks between Vice-President Jenjomar Binay and Defense Secretary Voltaire Garcia with MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari.
Clearly, it was observed that the Aquino regime only used ‘peace process’ as a two-blooded weapon in deceiving the Bangsamoeo people and the whole of humanity. The AFP-MNLF war in Zamboanga City and the BBL fiasco only discredited the BSAquino III administration similar to the Marcos, Aquino and Arroyo government. It only came to pass that its political existence was again to betray Mindanao peace to entrench Philippine colonialism in Mindanao.
On this note, the AFP-MNLF Zamboanga urban war that was only a repeat of the equally bloody 1974 Jolo town AFP-MNLF war was used by the Aquino III regime in covering up its mediocrity and awkwardness. It proudly charged Chairman Nur Misuari and some MNLF freedom fighters with rebellion as though this would easily halt the Bangsamoro people’s liberation struggle against Philippine colonialism.
MNLF AND DUTERTE GOVERNMENT: PAVING THE ROAD TO MINDANAO UNITY
The MNLF leadership perceived the downfall of the discredited Aquino III government prior and during the May 2016 national election. The Aquino administration had lost touch with reality and banked on its highly-hyped propaganda of establishing daang matuwid (straight path) program. Yet, it operated on the immoral basis of pork barrel system that affected all branches of government –executive, legislative, judiciary and military.
The controversial impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona of the Philippine Supreme Court and the Janet Lim-Napoles senate hearing and court trial under the Aquino regime revealed the extensive massive corruption of Filipino lawmakers, including the different national department officialdom. The daang matuwid theme became overnight daang sarado, according to Philippine media. But President BS Aquino III ignored the people’s wrath and anger calling for his resignation. He further schemed in continuing his misguided political will to survive the daang matuwid creed even after his corrupt-prone 6-year political reign.
The Aquino regime maneuvered to put in place its “political clone” Manuel ‘Mar’ Roxas II, president of the Liberal Party (LP) and once Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communication as well as Department of Interior and Local Government, as standard bearer of LP/daang matuwid for the 2016 electoral process.
On this political development, the domestic and overseas Filipino workers strongly clamored for Davao City Mayor Rodrigo D. Duterte to run for the presidency. Together with the overwhelming mass supporters, professionals, women and youth sectors inside the islands of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, they voluntarily contributed their share to convince him to join the presidential race.
OFW’S WARNING OF MASS CHEATING USING DAANG MATUWID
The day when Mayor Duterte categorically decided to run under the political party Laban Demokratiko Pilipino (LDP), there was worldwide joyous celebration by OFWs. From overseas, the workers shared their overwhelming support with their family members inside the Philippines by appealing to their loved ones to vigorously campaign for 2016 President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. They voluntarily contributed propaganda materials and monetary assistance in proving their trust and confidence on the Mindanao-based iconic political leader whose political rallying credo from the beginning is genuine reformative change.
Indeed, the relentless war on massive corruption in government and illegal drug/shabu trade and criminality in every street corner became his campaign rallying point throughout the Philippine archipelago.
Concerned Overseas Filipino Workers even personally wrote letters to MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari to warn the Filipino and Bangsamoro communities that the Aquino III government was bent to conduct mass cheating during the May 9, 2016 national election. Strangely, it was pointed out that the COMELEC-contracted Smartmatic machines were programmed only to read sample ballots bearing LP/daan matuwid and nothing else. Indeed, it was quite strange why the political organization tag ‘Liberal Party (LP)’ was not directly used similar to other participatory political parties in the national election.
The MNLF leadership took the painful task in warning both the Filipino and Muslim/Lumad electorate of this electoral deceit. The MNLF chairman also weighed in on the international media the wisdom of electing president the Davao City mayor, who became openly vocal to point out the injustice committed by the Manila government on the Bangsamoro people of Mindanao.
In all his campaign sorties, the first ever Mindanao-based presidential candidate always pledged to achieve peace and justice that Imperial Manila rulers repeatedly betrayed in the past. And too elsewhere in the whole Philippines by ending the AFP-NDF/NPA war for the peace and prosperity of the nation.
On the 2016 electoral process and aftermath, the rest is history.
MNLF-DUTERTE GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP TO SAVE FOREIGN LIVES
The 100 days of the Duterte government capsulized the relentless war against the eradication of illegal drug trade and endemic massive corruption in all branches of government.
Indeed, majority of the masses felt the positive drastic change in their daily lives, including walking safe and sound in street corners and transacting official matters in government offices. The Duterte government has transformed Malacanang (president’s official residence) into “people’s palace” in serving notice that the people’s voice and welfare is of paramount importance.
The Duterte government also prioritized the institution of peace, public order and security by immediately opening peace talks with the National Democrtaic Front (NDF) revolutionaries and the Bangsamoro freedom fighters. The peace negotiations in Norway between the government and NDF peace panelists have so far produced positive result that could end achieving peace for both the Filipino combatants.
On the prospect of the MNLF-Duterte government actual peace talks, President Rodrigo Duterte and MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari have still to meet personally for the substantial phase of the meaningful peace process. But the MNLF-Duterte government relationship has established positive measures in laying out the ground for any formal peace talks. Both the Mindanao-based Filipino leader and Bangsamoro chieftain have together coordinated in saving the lives of foreign kidnap victims by the Abu Sayyaf group.
CHAIRMAN NUR MISUARI AND PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. DUTERTE: Both Mindanao-based Filipino President Rodrigo R. Duterte and MNLF Chairman Prof. Nur Misuari have established a cordial working relationship to finally achieve just and lasting Mindanao peace for the Tri-People (Lumad, Muslim and Christian) of Mindanao. The crucial face-to-face meeting and peace dialogue of the two Mindanao leaders is now eagerly awaited by all peace stakeholders.
In September, 2016, President Duterte personally sought the help of Chairman Misuari related to the safe release of Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and the three Indonesian kidnap victims Lorens Koten, Teo Doros Kofong and Emmanuel Arakian. The Norwegian was abducted in Davao on September 2015 along with a Filipina girlfriend and two Canadians, John Ridsdell and Robert Hall, who were beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf group for not coming up with the demand kidnap ransom money.
MNLF DAVAO CITY CHAIRMAN ABDULAZIZ OLAMIT: Chairman Abdulaziz Olamit of the MNLF Davao City Revolutionary Committee cum Acting Vice-Chairman of the MNLF Central Committee has pointed out that the Manila-based political leaders have repeatedly betrayed Mindanao peace. He has stressed the fact that peace talks have been conducted in forging international peace agreements, but the peace treaties have not been completely implemented except only the implementation of artificial Philippine version autonomy.
The MNLF chairman had to mobilize thousand-strong Bangsamoro Armed Forces (BAF) fighters to pursue and pressure the mobile Abu Sayyaf group to release the kidnap for ransom victims from captivity. Similar MNLF military operation was also conducted earlier against the Abu Sayyaf abductors that led to the safe release of nine Indonesian kidnap victims when the Indonesian government asked the help of the MNLF chairman.
In Mindanao, the threat of kidnapping activities by the Abu Sayyaf group was never given adequate solution by the preceding Manila-based political leaders except only through frequent aborted dismal military operations coupled with bombastic press releases.
Today, it is remotely possible that the Duterte government with the help of the MNLF freedom fighters could formulate remedial measures to institute Mindanao peace to end kidnapping activities in Mindanao minus the interference of outside foreign colonizers.
Thus, on the political course of action taken by the Duterte government to chart an independent foreign policy and not to rely on American imperialism, the MNLF leadership has favorably viewed this cornerstone a positive sign for achieving Mindanao peace.
Indeed, enough is enough for the “global terrorism scare” strangely projected by American policy to justify only the presence of U.S. military war-mongers in war-torn Mindanao!
On this note, the Mindanao-based Filipino leader and the Bangsamoro leader have really to meet and talk in order to decide on the final course of action towards achieving total Mindanao peace.
Hence, it is on this positive end, according to MNLF Davao City Chairman and concurrently Acting Vice-Chairman of the MNLF Central Committee, Abdulaziz Olamit, that “the MNLF-Duterte government peace talks is eagerly anticipated and expected by all peace stakeholders.”
He has also emphasized that the forthcoming personal meeting in Davao City or elsewhere in Mindanao of the two leaders shall jump start the peaceful journey of the Filipino president and MNLF chairman to achieve just, meaningful and durable Mindanao peace that the past Manila-based political leaders repeatedly betrayed in the past. –osm/mnlfnet.com
(To be continued)
Roadmap to MNLF-Duterte Government Peace Talks (Part 2) -- Sharing a Clear Vision for Mindanao Peace
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