By Argyll Cyrus Geducos
President Duterte is considering opening Sulu as a barter trade area to give the people in Mindanao more freedom in governing themselves under the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (ROBINSON NIÑAL JR. / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
In an interview with Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, Duterte said that he was glad that he was able to talk peace with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
“Thank God that we were able to negotiate a peace agreement with the — Murad and the MILF and that’s what you would call now the BARMM, controlling the certain territory in Mindanao with a more adjustable local initiative,” he said early Wednesday.
The President expressed hopes of striking the same deal with Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chair Nur Misuari.
“Then you have Misuari. I said that in — maybe in God’s own time, he will realize and I’m ready also to offer to him the same — well, the same structure of government with the same concession,” Duterte said.
“Maybe I will permanently open Sulu as a barter trade area, tanggalin ko ‘yung (I will remove the) controls but no outright smuggling,” he added.
In October 29 last year, Duterte signed Executive Order No. 64 reviving barter trade in Mindanao, saying doing so would create jobs and business opportunities, and strengthen trade and commerce between and among member-states of the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines – East ASEAN Growth Area).
During his visit to Bangkok, Thailand last month, Duterte asked Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to speed up the discussions on the barter trade system between the Philippines and Malaysia since his government is implementing the Bangsamoro Organic Law aimed at ending decades-long conflict in Mindanao.
Duterte told Mahathir that he was hoping for the institutionalization of the barter trade system in the south, saying it will help address poverty, conflict, and instability in the Bangsamoro region.
The President also encouraged Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia to adopt a common set of standards for non-convention ship operations.