Old Provincial Capitol, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao
November 27, 2017

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte attended a gathering of the Moro people and key stakeholders supporting the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) during the Bangsamoro Assembly at the Old Provincial Capitol, Barangay Crossing Simuay in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.

The convening of the Bangsamoro Assembly is one of the mandates of the expanded Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) composed of the Government of the Philippines (GPH), Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and representatives of Indigenous Peoples (Lumads) that drafted the BBL.

The BBL aims to establish a Bangsamoro government to replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Through the BBL, all concerned parties and stakeholders believe that a just and lasting peace would finally be established in the region.

In his speech, President Duterte reiterated his views on the peace process in Mindanao. “It must be inclusive — lahat, walang maiwan dito sa peace talks na ito. The MILF, the MNLF, lahat na, Lumad, kailangan kasali. But I will now state my condition. I will work very hard for it. I will ask Congress to a special session just to hear you talk about this… But I will only work with one thing in mind, there must be one nation for all, and one Republic for all, a Republic of the Philippines for all of us, Moro and Christians,” the President emphasized.

Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Secretary Jesus Dureza, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman, MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, MNLF Central Committee Chairman Yusoph Jikiri, BTC Chairman Ghadzali Jaafar, BTC Commissioners, MILF Central Committee members, the diplomatic corps, and local government officials attended the Bangsamoro Assembly.

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