Duterte Agrees That Having A Bangsamoro Country In Mindanao Will Be Beneficial For All Of Us

During a ceremony on Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte has promised to establish a "Bangsamoro country". He also gave assurance that he already received the final draft of the BBL or the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

This is in lieu with the situation with the Islamic State-linked Maute group in Mindanao where our government troops are battling currently.

In his speech, Duterte said that the Moro people will have their own Bangsamoro country in Mindanao during his term.

“I am for this — within the context of the Republic of the Philippines, there shall be a Bangsamoro country,”

 “This will be realized while preserving and strengthening the territorial integrity of the Republic of the Philippines,”

He also vowed to help every step of the way to achieve this new milestone. 

“I commit to support my covenant with you that I will support and husband this instrument as it goes in the legislator for its consideration. And there will be no objections of the provisions of all that is consistent with the Constitution and the aspiration of the Moro people,” 

“Today marks a new milestone in our history that will stand as proof of our resolve to set aside our differences and stand united to achieve our common goal of peace. This moment is a significant step forward in our quest to end centuries of hatred, mistrust and injustice that cost and affected the lives of millions of Filipinos,”

The President also said that the draft BBL embodies the government and the Moro people's “shared aspirations of a peaceful, orderly and harmonious nation.”

“After decades of armed struggle and violence, we will soon come up with a constitutionally consistent legal instrument that will lay the foundation for establishing real and lasting peace in Mindanao. The proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law puts into life and spirit the constitutional mandate provided in the 1987 Constitution for the establishment of a truly autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao,” 

“This paves the way for meeting the just aspiration of the Bangsamoro people for self-determination. And that is consistent and reflective of the distinct historical [and]cultural heritage, and economic and social structures common to the people residing in the Bangsamoro,”

Duterte said that the said BBL will be beneficial for the entire country because “it shall give rise to a genuine autonomous region as well as bring forth healing and reconciliation to the historical injustices committed against the Bangsamoro people.”

“May this new entity be marked by good governance, equitable sharing of wealth and generation of revenue, and normalized, stable environment. We will achieve sustainable and inclusive peace and development in the Bangsamoro, Mindanao [and]the entire country,”