TAGUM CITY — The breakaway Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters said they are open to peace talks with PDP-Laban presidential bet and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte should he win in the May 2016 national elections.
Abu Misry Mama, spokesman of the BIFF, told Davao Today that their group’s openness to be involved in the peace and order agenda of Duterte is based on the holy teachings of Qu’ran, a central religious text of Islam.
“If he plans to talk to us, we will entertain him because it is according to the Qu’ran,” Mama said in an interview Tuesday morning.
Mama, however, clarified the BIFF will not endorse any candidate.
BIFF’s statement came after Duterte vowed that he will build peace across the country if he will be elected as the 16th President of the Republic of the Philippines. Duterte said that he will achieve this within three to six months by doing “inclusive” talks with MILF, MNLF, NPA, CPP and NDF.
Mama stressed that whoever wins the 2016 presidential election, BIFF will continue to wage war against the government unless the latter will yield to their demand of establishing an Islamic State in Mindanao.
GPH Panel Chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, in a statement, has called on the BIFF leadership “to reconsider their violent ways and take heed of the people’s desire for peace and normalcy in their lives.”
But Mama said that peace in Central Mindanao is a “myth” because the “Bangsamoro Homeland” has not yet been given to them by the government.
“We won’t stop until the government will grant our aspirations to have an independent Islamic State. BIFF’s offensive operations will continue,” Mama warned.
“BIFF doesn’t recognize the peace efforts between the MILF and the government. Our own struggle should be respected,” the BIFF spokesman said. (davaotoday.com)
