PRESIDENT RODRIGO Roa Duterte in his visit to Cagayan de Oro City said that all the problems in Mindanao – drugs, terrorism, rebellion and corruption – can only be reduced to bare minimum by the end of his term.
He admitted that with the problems stemming from 53 years ago, specifically with rebellion and terrorism, he cannot solve them all by the end of his term.
“We have ratified the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL). It’s going to be implemented in the days to come,” he said.
“I hope that when it is implemented, initially it would reflect the true sentiments of our Moro brothers, the Maguindanaos,” he said.
In the South of Mindanao is also terrorist group Abu Sayaff. The President said they are patterned after the ISIS.
He said, there are bombings everywhere, even inside the church. There are plenty of massacres too, he added.
But with the New People’s Army (NPAs), Duterte said, “I am the one who surrendered. I said I will stop talking to them because it is really useless.”
“We have been talking for the last 30 years. And they have been trying to destroy the legitimate government since 53 years ago,” the President explained.
The government is also suffering losses from its drug war. “Things have worsened. My policemen are at the brink of surrendering,” he said.
He explained that the country is recipient of drugs worth billions.
“Actually there are other billions coming in. The Philippines is contiguous, island for island. There are seven thousand islands,” he said.
He said there are at least 1.6 million drug users and addicts in the country.
Instead of spending for the family, fathers will now be drug addicts and leave the children in the streets with no food or education, Duterte said.
He emphasized that no amount of prayer can solve the problem of the country if there is no law and order.
To have a comfortable life, corruption, disorder, killings and drugs should be stopped, he added.(By Jasper Marie O. Rucat)
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