Duterte meets Misuari as court allows him to travel abroad

February 26, 2019

President Rodrigo Duterte met with Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founder Nur Misuari in Malacanang prior to the latter's travel abroad.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the meeting took place Monday night for about 15 minutes.

"What transpired last night was the President told the chairman that he admired his patience and apologized for not having implemented or enforced whatever agreements that they had previously, I think with respect to federalism or something. They would be talking again precisely about that," he said.

Since there was limited time for Duterte and Misuari to talk, he said the two would meet again.

Despite several charges filed against Misuari, including a supposedly non-bailable offense, he has been out of jail as Duterte ordered the police and the military not to arrest him.

This as the Third Division of Sandiganbayan has granted Misuari's urgent motion that he be allowed to leave the Philippines on February 27 to attend meetings in the Middle East.

Misuari will travel to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates to attend the proceedings of the 48th session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation-Council of Foreign Ministers taking place on March 1-2.

He will also go to Morocco for the 14th Session of the Parliamentary Union of Islamic Cooperation (PUIC) member states.

Misuari is expected to be back in the country not later than March 20.

Misuari is facing graft and malversation through falsification cases in relation to the alleged anomalous purchase of educational materials when he was still the governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Celerina Monte/DMS