DAVAO CITY – Issues on sea piracy and kidnapping along Malacca Strait will highlight the meeting of President Rodrigo Duterte with Malaysian leaders next week.
“We have a lot to talk to about the piracy on the Malacca Strait, kidnapping, criminality abounds in that area,” he told reporters in an interview during his visit at the graves of his parents at the Davao City Catholic Cemetery on Tuesday night.
The President underscored the importance for Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines to talk about the said issues and “once for all come up with a solution.” He added that the three countries share the same coastline.
President Duterte, who is scheduled to visit Malaysia and Thailand next week, voiced concern that incidence of kidnapping is increasing while piracy has become vicious and sometimes victims are being murdered on the high seas.
On Saturday night, the President received Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Speaker of Parliament Pandikar Amin Mulia, at the Davao International Airport.
The President said he talked about the concerning issues with Mr. Hamidi and Mr. Mulia and the need to talk about it seriously to put a stop on the activities “because it has somehow paralyzed the trade and commerce in that area,” adding that it is very important that the arterial channel be safe and get rid of the troublesome guys.
According to him, they (Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines) should agree on the agenda on the situation in the Malacca Strait including the kidnapping in Jolo in the context of border crossing and joint military and police operations.
“Hindi naman namimili ng Pilipino eh. Indonesian, Malaysian. So dumating ang panahon na kailangan kami mag-usap (Filipinos do not really choose… Indonesian, Malaysian. The time has come for us to talk),” he said.
President Duterte said there was no discussion on any political ideology except the deteriorating peace and order in Jolo, which some areas have become the sanctuary of the rebels.
“And what is really embarrassing to me was ang sanctuary ng mga rebelde, nandiyan sa Jolo, sa ating jurisdiction (the sanctuary of the rebels is there in Jolo, in our jurisdiction. So that makes it doubly worrisome. Eh pangit kasi ‘yung aming mga kababayan diyan dinadala (It is not good that our compatriots are brought there),” he pointed out.
If the current issues are not addressed, the President stressed it would the problem of the most serious problems of this generation. “Actually, I said it is coming around and I would like to warn the country that we have this looming problem ahead but that would be… I do not want to cause unnecessary alarm but it’s gonna be one of the most serious problems that this generation will face,” he said.
He said he has already discussed the issues with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who committed support for security cooperation in the area.