Duterte mulls a Hong Kong-like arrangement in Mindanao with Muslim rebels

November 21, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday that to  address rebellion involving the Filipino Muslims, there could be a Hong Kong-like arrangement in Mindanao vis-a-vis with the Mainland.

In a speech in Taguig City, Duterte said he is trying his "very best" to come up with an agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front.

"There is no way that we can find peace forever if we do not give them back at least a part of that heritage," he said.

The MILF, the largest Muslim rebel group in Mindanao, is a breakaway group of the MNLF, which forged a final peace agreement with the government in 1996. But MNLF under Nur Misuari seemed not satisfied yet despite the implementation of the peace pact.

"I’m trying my very best to come up with an agreement with the MI and MN because they are the mainstream rebel fronts that would want or would settle for a government that is acceptable to them," Duterte said.

He said the MILF and MNLF could be given local autonomy.

"If you want a demarcation line, fine. If you want the boundary states, okay with me. But we have to find a way to get out of this problem now," he said.

Failure to address the rebellion in Mindanao could lead to more terrorist activities, he warned.

Duterte said when he was talking with some senators, whom he did not name, on Monday night, there was a suggestion, "maybe we can work out a plan like Hong Kong vis-à-vis with the Mainland."

While Hong Kong is part of China, it has its own government.

Currently, there is an Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. It has its own set of departments and officials. But critics said that ARMM is still dependent to the national government, particularly in terms of funding. Celerina Monte/DMS