Read! Pres. Duterte's speech during Bangsamoro Assembly

SPEECH OFPRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTEDURING THE 1ST BANGSAMORO ASSEMBLY[Delivered at Old Provincial Capitol, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao | 27 November 2017]Kindly sit down. Thank you for your courtesy.Ang pagka-Maranao ko, ganun lang, medyo sa lola.Before I proceed, meron talagang prepared speech ang Presidente maski saan. Pero hindi ko ito trabaho, sabihin ko na sa inyo prangka-prangka.At as important as reconfiguring the territory, the local, it is not good just to deliver a two-page speech.Sabi ko kay --- sa kanila. I-dovetail ko ‘yung kay Kagi pati sa dumadaang mga speeches.But before that, I’d like to acknowledge the presence of Excellencies of the diplomatic corps Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana Presidential Adviser on Peace Process Jesus Dureza Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque and other members of the Cabinet baka hindi niyo na… Bagong kilala natin, si Secretary Roque, formerly a congressman. He is now the… [applause] The Bangsamoro Transition Commission Chair Ghazali Jaafar ARMM Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman MILF Chairman Al Hajj Murad Ebrahim MNLF Central Committee Chairman Yusoph Jikiri fellow workers in government mga kapatid kong mga Moro at ang mga Pilipino.I’d like to address myself to the nation this time. I plead to all Filipinos listening now to understand the problem and maybe, you know, just ponder on it and sleep on it tonight and maybe you’d be enlightened because of what we are now trying to solve is one of the hardest in my administration.Maybe, the hardest of them all. But as I have promised, as the centerpiece of my election, was really the federal setup of government.And one, we are talking about now with limited to the issues… As far as I’m concerned, actually, what is at stake here is the preservation of the Filipino Republic and to correct a historical injustice, was and still is.But let me discuss with you the second issue. Historical injustice. When was it? Well, many, many centuries ago.Before the coming of the imperialists, as we are now and had been before, we are brothers and sisters of the Malay race.As a matter fact, you’d study maybe a little bit about the history of the migration. We belong to the Sri Visayas empire of the Malay race.But about, so many centuries ago, 500 I would say, until now, you reckon the years, the Spaniards came and colonized us for 400 years. Then the Americans came and stayed here for 50 years.We were a subjugated people. Well, I do not have an issue with God Allah. God Allah is perfect. He charts the destiny of men and nation.But somehow, we humans must contribute our sweat towards the realization of God Allah wants us to do.‘Yan ang nandito ngayon. The historical injustice began when we were slaves of other nations.Hindi ito ngayon lang. And over the years naturally, I said with the coming of religions, I have nothing, I said. I do not have an issue with any particular religion. It’s up to us human beings to make the most out of it.Now, itong problema ng ating bayan, inabot ito over the periods of years. And oppression and violence and unnecessary killing, sometimes for no reason at all. It has bogged this nation for so long a time.Mindanao was taken over by the Spaniards. Then the Americans came and introduced the system of governance in the island of Mindanao.It used to be ruled by one department of Mindanao. And in the process invited other tribes to come here and enjoy the fertile land.No problem with that actually. Mindanao at that time was so big that you cannot even measure it by any yardstick or a device of measurement. Malaki eh.And I supposed that there was really no animosity because of our color and our culture and even in the dialect.But somehow, the imperialism created a monster by giving away the lands and adopting, I said, ‘yung mga homestead, ‘yung mga cadastral land. And sadly to the exclusion of many.And most of them, who were left behind or left out were really the Lumads here and most of the Moro people.And overtime it created, I said, the monster that the fight for a piece of real estate here and there created wars amongst us and killings.‘Yung Moro ho --- nakikinig kayong mga kababayan ko --- naiwan. Kinuha ‘yung mga ancestral land. They were the first.Actually, if you are not a Moro, if you are a Christian then you cannot be a native of Mindanao. Nauna… [applause] ang Islam by almost… Well, I used to read when I was a congressman diyan sa Malaysia, ‘yung mga library nila.I would… Some say 100. I’d put it about something like 80. My simple mathematics or arithmetic could say to me.So nauna dito ang Islam. About that time, talagang Muslim na ang Mindanao.But with the coming of imperialism, I said, pumasok dito at marami ng relihiyon, fine. It’s all about God. It’s all about Allah. Nothing strange there.But the fight for the territory began. And the dream of the Moro people was just to retake what they were or they had at that time. Violence after violence after violence.In 1972, kumukuha ho kami ng Bar. Jess Dureza was ahead. Eh ako naiwan ako sa klase kasi hindi man ako valedictorian kagaya niya. So…Well, I used to be here. Kasama ko si [Jun Matalam?] noon. I was still a young boy. I was roaming around Cotabato. Sila [Jimbo Sindao?]. I was enjoying the place. And maybe because I felt safe. So ganun ho ang nangyari.Now, if we do not solve this problem. The fundamental issue of historical injustice hindi ito matatapos. Hindi talaga ito matatapos. [applause]I’ve been saying that before even in any crowd that we have to have a solution. If I were to have a choice then it should be my time, kung pwede lang and we can work out a way out of this quagmire.It cannot go on. You’re children cannot kill my children. Ang pamilya ko mismo hati, alam ninyo ‘yan. I have a branch of my family puro Moro, Islam. [applause]Meron rin akong branch sa pamilya ko na Kristiyanos. Saan ninyo ako ilagay?‘Yan ang problema kaya interesado ako ng areglo. Kung maaari lang sana let’s talk about peace, peace and peace as we build and build and build our country. Nothing wrong with that. It’s a matter of talking.Now, there are so many drafts coming from Nur, coming from Kagi Murad and everybody else, and the scholars, and also UP is coming up with a position paper.Ang akin, it must be inclusive. Lahat. Walang maiwan dito sa peace talks na ito. [applause] The MILF, the MNLF, lahat na, Lumad, kailangan kasali. [applause]But I will now state my conditions. I will work very hard for it. I will ask Congress to a special session just to hear you talk about this in Congress. [applause]Sabi ko, Ito sagrado ‘to. Importante ‘to. At mahalaga ‘to because it would involve, eventually, if the people wills it, in due (a new?), structure for the entire country. Kung hindi, then let us work out a way. Basta maibigay natin sa ating mga kapatid lalo na sa Moro ang arrangement na acceptable sa kanila.Alam ko realist kayo [applause] at wala namang umaangkin dito sa mundong ito. We are all passing temporarily in this planet. [applause] In the end, it’s always towards what is heaven for the Christians and for the Muslims.Wala man tayong --- mag… We fight there? We kill each other? Then if we are in heaven, what are we supposed to do? It’s ever so temporary. Mind you.So let us work on the historical issues. Land, the social injustices that were committed since then. Well, apparently the Christian governments has had an edge all along because they were in power holding the national structure.And all the time, medyo pasensya, pasensya, pasensya. I said, but this cannot go on. Even if you say that we’ll have a [inaudible] of how many years. It will not suffice. Or then, you will be passing the problem to the next and to next generation.And so what do you think? What would be the sentiment of my grandson towards his grandsister? Ipasa mo lang eh.Ngayon nandito na ako, I made it a centerpiece, of course not all the time. But in --- I endeavored really to mention it. Almost half of the time of us talking about itong mga historical injustice.It’s a matter of self-preservation. For whom? You? For me? For them? For all of us. That is a matter of survival.What will we get if we go into a war again? With the coming of the ISIS, the taking of the name of Allah in vain, killing people, destruction, violence. Along is what is --- ? Wala.Look what happened to the Middle East. They say that… Well, there’s a lot of theory about who’s responsible. But you know, we cannot go back in time. We must avoid the pitfalls of violence.Look at what Iraq, Libya, Syria, once the thriving center of the Muslim faith. Tingnan mo.Where is ISIS now? It’s on the edge. And I’ve been telling you, if they lose the land base, they will scatter and…Why would we allow barbarians to come here and destroy our way of life? We are not even a mix of Arabs. We are Malay.Now, if you want to change the Filipino, Philippines because of King Philip, it’s fine with me. It’s a matter of renaming everyone in the Constitution.Sabi ko, Magellan came here and he said, I discover for the King of Spain, Philip, and I will name this island the Philippines. Maswerte ka. May makita ka na lupa tapos iyo na.Kaya named Philippines. But that is just --- name of a cou[ntry], we can always do away with it, in due time.I’m sure our children would --- somehow Filipino and Christians would correct this kind of… Philippines, it’s box of imperialism.That’s why I do not… Have you ever heard me call Malacañan Palace? I say, my office. I don’t --- really sitting there and to remember that my predecessors were all --- well, almost half of it were aliens and the conquistadores.Hindi ako naliligayahan. Baka akala ninyo kayo lang ang nag-ano ng masakit sa…Hindi. I do not say, Malacañan Palace , I just say, See me at my office --- in my office. Hindi ako nagtata --- palace. Hindi na panahon ito ng…So that’s it. Correction of the social injustice or the outright injustice. And then crafting something which would preserve the lives of Filipinos.But I will only work with one thing in mindand There must be one nation for all and one republic for all. A Republic of the Philippines for all of us, Moro and Christians alike. [applause]‘Yan ang hindi ko maibigay. Now, I am doing everything to avoid a breakage or a fissure somehow in Mindanao. I’m going to walk the hundreds of miles, not the mile, as a first step, but there has to be a condition that is for all.The Republic of the Philippines must be one and the preservation of all Filipinos, Christian, Muslims, and all, must be there to unite us.Then we will be happy, in the goodness of --- the fullness of God’s time, I am sure, it is just a simple equation of correcting an injustice, redistributing whatever is it, just compensation and all, but these are all legislations. It can come later.But the basics must be there. And there must be autonomy. And you must be allowed to enjoy all your natural resources.Pero naman, maghingi ako nang konti. Paano ko patakbuhin ang Malacañan? Wala man akong pera kung hindi mag --- sa taxpayers. 'Yung konti lang. You can enjoy 60, 40 or 90, 10 or whatever.But we must, I said, have only one. I cannot bargain it away. I cannot said give. I told the communists and I'm telling it to you all now, that I cannot give what I do not own.Inyo lahat 'yan eh, it's for the Filipino people. You decide. Not me. Pero ako, I'm just stating na to the other tribes in Luzon, Visayas, kabalo mo nga Bisaya, sabta na ninyo. Wala unta mangilog kay giimbitar ta. (TRANSLATIONand You know they're Bisaya, understand them. Nobody must rob/steal it away from them.Pumunta kayo ng Mindanao because it's fertile and everything. And I said, ang Mindanao kaniadto, dako. Malaki ang Mindanao. It was a vast expanse of land.But Mindanao now, where the coming of the…We are now on the fourth industrial revolution. Plenty of people. Talagang lumiit nang lumiit. Eh kung malaki lang sana ito, eh ‘di walang… But you know, you have to have land to develop, to eat, to earn.Manufacturing in the agricultural sector is lagging. Why? Because it cannot propel itself into prosperity for so long as there is violence in the countryside. Especially ang nakita kong walang kwenta --- the NPAs.Be careful with that. Kasi ‘pag niyaya ninyo even the Arab money, they would steal us maski sino ang nandiyan. And that is extortion. It thrives on extortion. It is not revolutionary tax.Ilang beses kayo nakakita dito sinusunog 'yung mga sasakyan? You think it's done by the Moro here? Of course not. I should know it.Sila nagsusunog ng mga ano dito and even in your territories. It behooves upon the Moro, all of you and us to maintain that kind of peace that we desire.Because pagdating ng panahon, when we are given the empowerment now to run our lives, run your own economy, create your own gross domestic product locally, magkakaproblema kayo niyan eh.And even the terrorists. They will have to go to war again. We tried another war and we have to deal with another one. But we're willing to talk peace.But for the communists, let me be very clearand One republic, no coalition. Government must be the sole authority and we [inaudible], for after all, we'll have the elections. We’ll have the elected leaders. Whether you like it or not, you must be represented in Congress.Walang problema 'yan. So ang proposal ko ganitoand I will ask Congress. I said, one day, one session, Nur, si Kagi and all should be there to present their platform. And then we will work out if it can.If it's not in consonance with each other, then we work out but at least Congress and the Filipino people should be given a day to hear you out on what we intend to do. Me? I support you. That is my promise.Do not ever, ever question me. Delay? Of course, it entails delay. So many… Marami man dito galing.[Nabil?] is here, Jesus Dureza is here. You have been congressmen. Wala. Ayan si Toto. Alam man ninyo. It takes forever to move. Somebody has to push it.Because there are --- alam mo na --- thousands of concerns.But I will impress upon them that you have to devote even one day or two days. Hear them out, hear us from Mindanao.Ako taga roon. Ako sabi ko, kasali ako dito sa gulo ‘pag hindi ito na-areglo. So… And I would be blamed by you and by the many… Eh sabi nitong g*** na ‘to, sabi niya, ‘we’ll work it out’. And that is why I will work it out. Tapos ipakita ko sa inyo talagang hindi work out exercise, talagang I will work on it. And at least give you the idea of how the effort goes along.What we need is to be heard. I said one just two simple in the equationand that is correct the injustice committed against the Moro people and all of the Lumads here. Second is to preserve the Republic. That is all the rest of it.Maraming salamat po. [applause][The President returns to the podium]I’d like to stay longer with you, maybe stay here… But the airport authority said that walang ilaw ang runway, ‘yung dead end. So I have to fly out because of sunset limitations.But maybe you can go to Malacañan, all of you. [applause] Not Palace, Malacañan is just an office. Really. You just go there so visit your --- where your money went all these centuries building that…Salamat po. [applause]