MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday that Filipinos are not ready yet for a federal form of government which he had vowed to establish, but underlined it was the key towards achieving peace in the conflict-torn region of Mindanao.
Duterte, who hails from Mindanao, told reporters that there was a need to “find the right formula” to end violence and to bring peace to the region.
“Problem is the Filipinos are not ready for a federal type. It doesn’t seem to ring a bell in the Visayas and Mindanao which are those dedicated and are those thinking Filipinos,” the president said.
“We must find the right formula here because, if not, our country, all of us, will sacrifice,” he added.
Duterte has been pushing for the shift to federal system to knock down the “Imperial Manila” in an attempt to trim down poverty and respond to the revolt for the Muslim Autonomy.
At present, the government is under the unitary form of government where power emerges from the central government. Under Federalism, more powers will be bestowed to local government units which include the power to establish courts, to execute business regulations or ordinances, and impose taxes.
Duterte added that the long battle in Mindanao between various armed groups could not be even resolved by the involvement of foreign countries.
“Nobody else, not even the mediation and the intervention of so many countries. Walang mangyari ito [Nothing will happen] as long as we don’t really concede something,” he said.
Duterte also expressed optimism that federalism would bring an end to the Moro rebels’ struggle to rule their native land.
“Alam naman ninyo ang [You know the] history, I don’t have to repeat it, pagka walang nangyari sa usapan [if nothing goes right with the talks], both the MILF and the MNLF, you would be busy, almost all of you would be there in Mindanao covering a terrible situation in our country,” Duterte said.
However, the president renewed his statements that he would not use the federal shift in order for him to cling to power.