Digong assures Nur return

Despite notions by some quarters that Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari may no longer return to the country, no less than President Rodrigo Duterte assured the police and military that the former rebel leader will come back to face the charges he is facing.

In a speech in Bangued, Abra late Tuesday, Duterte revealed that he intervened to let Misuari fly abroad.

“He came to see me to ask me to intercede on his behalf that he be given temporary pass to go out because he has cases filed against him,” said Duterte during the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino campaign rally in Bangued, Abra.

“So, I told the military and the police, let him go, because he will return. He is not a fugitive, he is a revolutionary. And you know what? That guy will always come back. It would be an insult to his person if he is buried in another land,” the President added.

“Remember, I said during the campaign that if elected, I will take care of this revolution, I will try to solve it but I cannot talk to the NPA rebels now. They need maybe more time, a more educated way of doing it,” Duterte said.

“But the Abu Sayyaf, there can never be any peace talks there because they are cruel. They don’t have any ideology. They are pretending to be Muslims with a cause but all they do is to kill and destroy,” he added.

Earlier, Duterte had said the government is prepared to craft a new peace deal with the MNLF amid his plans to resume talks with Misuari.

Duterte added Misuari has also expressed willingness “to talk, not fight” during their conversation in Malacañang recently.

He said presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año would be tasked to help craft the agreement with the MNLF.