I have a great news for you. It is with great happiness that I announce to the nation that Chairman Nur Misuari–our brother who heads the MNLF, has finally decided to just accept my invitation for him to talk to us.

He has obliged and we are very grateful. Secretary Dureza just did the legwork and all. He was able to pave the way for Chairman Nur to come here, I said, upon my invitation.

There is the pending warrant which is lifted now upon my orders so that we can talk and I would like to assure Nur–brother Nur, that there was never any intention to deprive you of your liberty.

As far as we can remember, when I was vice mayor, you were touring Mindanao and I accepted you with open arms and I said that maybe someday we can finally talk about peace and little did I know, brother Nur that by the grace of Allah, I became the President of the Republic and in the twilight of our years, we would be able to talk about the problem of our country- the revolution that you have led all these years and finally, understanding on a common ground with government.

And that I assure you, I said, as you have narrated, we will come up with the modality and then of course, how to place us in our proper homeland, our Mindanao, and that we will talk about the Bangsamoro Authority.

We are ready for that, brother Nur. And as a matter of fact, I said, I was elected for six years but I told Congress if they are able to craft a territorial structure for the federal government and go ahead with the elections and provide the presidency for another form of government, I assure you that upon its completion, if it could be done earlier, three, two years, you have my word. I will resign as President and pave a way for a territorial government which would have provided also maybe a strong president but equally strong national parliamentary, subject to the rules of federalism which will provide a greater leeway, elbow room for governance for our people.

I am for it. I know that we have talked. Many times you passed by Davao City that we would just agree to a federal set-up, give everybody his due; do justice to the Moro people committed many year…many centuries ago.

You know brother Nur, this is not really to pull my own chair. But when I was talking to a lot of the Americans and I said, and I reminded them of the several massacres, not only in Jolo but in Samar, the belfry– the bell that was from the church there was taken out by the Americans and because one colonel died there, an American. Every male, ten years and above, had their heads cut off also.

So these are the things that I said contributed to the– lot of injustice and you have to pardon the next generation for we did not know, at least the Filipinos now in Mindanao.

So, we would like to ask that we work together with our Moro brothers and create a country that is really– that is just and that is good and that would be for the next generations to come.

It’s…I would like you to just say a few words and we can maybe ask—well, maybe we can ask questions later. But, this is a podium being used by the president, you know that, because you also was once upon a time a Cabinet member.

May I ask you to just give a short talk using the podium of the President of the Republic of the Philippines. May I Chairman, brother Nur?