There are two, three pages of prepared speech. But after this, I’d like to add something of — the sentiments that I carry, the burden in my heart.

The first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal always brings great joy to our Muslim brothers and sisters. It is on this day that they celebrate the Eid’l Fitr—the feast that marks their successful journey towards spiritual purification through fasting and prayers during the blessed month of Ramadhan.

On this special day, may you remember to thank Allah for bestowing upon you the resolve, courage and fortitude to obey His commandments. May a sense of spiritual accomplishment inspire you as you go through life and overcome the many obstacles that lie ahead.

Let us channel our energies towards building a society that is grounded on love, respect and understanding—because it is by dedicating our lives to the betterment of humanity that we can best demonstrate our obedience and devotion to Allah.

To our brothers and sisters who have been affected by the violence and conflict in Mindanao, I assure you that the government is committed to securing just and lasting peace in the island. The military and the police remain hard at work to ending the crisis with dispatch, especially in Marawi.

We have also laid concrete plans on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of your lives and communities. The Task Force Bangon Marawi, composed of various agencies of the government, is being created to hasten recovery efforts in Marawi City.

The amount of 20 billion pesos has already been allocated to ensure that this happens. More funds will be added, if necessary. Meaningful and long-term support will also be made available, with the help of our partners in the private sector and the international community.

To help improve the capabilities of our youth, we will continue to support scholars like Omar O. Sacar and Abdul Aziz A. Banisil, who are now studying at the Imam Muhammad Bin Saud University, Indonesia. They will become part of the next generation of leaders who will help develop and advance their localities towards greater prosperity and progress.

Rest assured that the entire nation is beside you during this challenging period in your lives. We will be with you as you rebuild your homes and localities, and as you realize your dreams of a better life.

As Filipinos, all of us share a common destiny bound by this island we call home. So let us unite to achieve our common goals. With our solidarity and faith in each other, let us make Mindanao and the Philippines a land of order, stability, harmony and prosperity.

My greetings of peace to everyone on the occasion of Eid’l Fitr!

Eid Mubarak! [applause]

Alam mo, sa totoo lang, if just an apprising, just like the mainstream rebellion of the MI, pati MN, I can endure a war with you and I can even plead peace with you. Wala akong problema at naintindihan ko kung bakit tayo nag-aaway at nagpapatayan.

And as President who hails from Mindanao and whose mother is a Mindanaoan, alam ko kung ano ang sakit sa puso ninyo. Alam ko kasi alam ko noon pang maliit pa ako na ganon na nga.

Wala po akong problema. Even if we are fighting now, kung sakali talagang walang mangyari. And every year and every month, I would always go to you and plead that we can have peace in our land.

Kasi alam ko na long before Magellan dumating sa Leyte bringing Christianity, Mindanao was Islam, almost Islam by more than 50 years.

I once had the occasion to go over the archives of Malaysia. And the little time that I spent there when I was a congressman gave me an idea of what is really happening to Islam and in this part of our land.

Alam ko naghihinakit kayo. And alam ko na we were conquered by the Spaniards. We were never born yet. And even Lapu-Lapu who was a Muslim. He was our first hero.

Siya ‘yung pumatay sa unang foreigner na imperyalista. Alam natin ‘yan. Kaya alam ko ang sakit ng loob ninyo at ano ang dapit nating gawin.

So when I became President, I made clear to everybody that I intend to talk to you peacefully. And I promised you a framework of a federal government to give more authority and a wide discretion of what you would want your island to be. [applause]

Alam natin ‘yan. Kaya ako, long before I won the election, I already sent my daughter-in-law sa Jolo that I wanted to talk to everybody that kung sakali, InShaAllah, I will win, pwede na tayong mag-usap kaagad because I am a man in a hurry.

Because even in the preparation, the gestation period, baka matagal talaga. Alam ko ‘yan. Kaya kung ang ating away lang ngayon, MI lang pati MN, naiintindihan ko. Walang problema.

Ang masakit sa akin, na pumasok a fractured ideology na hindi naman malaman sila mismo kung ano ang ginagawa. All that they want is to kill and destroy. Paano tayo mabubuhay niyan?

We are all witnesses to the modern technology that can offer. Kita mo CNN, BBC. The Arabs, most of them, well Sunni and Shiite, pero that is not a reason for the brutality that’s going on.

Masakit ‘yun, tingnan natin sa sila-sila mismo. You burned an Arab Muslim, you behead an Arab Muslim, you massacre an entire Arab Muslim village.

Papaano tanggapin natin ‘yan tapos magpunta dito? How can we improve on our lives, about our lives, kung may papasok na ganon na ideolohiya na wala nang ginagawa kung ‘di pumatay and to behead, just like no other business.

Kaya ako dito sa Marawi, I decided to declare martial law kasi ‘pag hindi alam ko ‘nong na-perfect na namin ang intelligence, that there were so many firearms pati explosives.

Kaya hanggang ngayon, ang mga sundalo ng Republika ng Pilipinas, ang karamihan mga shrapnel eh because they seem to be… Ang supply nila, hindi matatapos.

That’s why it took… Sabihin mo na kaya ito ng isang buwan? Hindi nga matapos eh because they were able to stockpile the arms and alam ko hindi ninyo alam ‘yan.

And there were only some of those who travelled to the Middle East got contaminated, brought the ideology back home, and promised to declare war against humanity.

Pa… Kaya talaga ako, I was forced into it. But remember, for one month, pa-slide lang ako palagi, sabi ko, “Do not force my hand into it.” Alam ko, narinig ninyo lahat ‘yan.

Sabi ko, “Do not force me to declare martial law.” Kasi mabilis na ang pasok ng intelligence na ang armas pati ‘yung stockpile nasa Marawi na.

So wala akong magawa. Alam ko ang ginawa mo noong ‘pag sabi ko mag-martial law ako, nandoon ako sa Moscow, alam ko na lahat. Alam ko na how long it would take for us at alam ko ang deployment ng mga snipers pati kung saan nila itinago ‘yung mga armas nila.

I already had the complete picture and I knew that would be a long fight. But kung tanungin ninyo ako kung maligaya ako, anak ng… I am also bleeding like you.

Kaya I do not even want to talk about it. Maski kami diyan sa Cabinet kasi nasasaktan ako. Kasi ‘yung ibang mga…

May mga pinsan ako nandoon sa Maute, aba kala ninyo. Because they were there, a cousin of mine died. Nagpunta sila doon, isang truck.

Nagtaka nga ‘yung mga PSG kung sino ‘yan. Sabi ko, “Mga pinsan ko ‘yan. Hayaan mo.” Doon, nag-usap-usap kami, ‘yung iba, for the sake of adventure or I do not know what. 

Sabi ko, “Huwag kayong pumasok diyan. ‘Wag mong… Walang… Wala kayong makuha sa isang… What?” You do not even have an idea of how, what government… Basta inyo patayan lang.

We are all human beings. Whether we like it or not, we will die. Ang problema nito, ano ang iniwan natin? Eh ma… Nandito sa — nag-a-average tayo ng singkwenta dito, what will we leave to our children? We have only limited time to correct this aberration.

Tatanda na tayo, eh. And if we allow this thing to drag on, anak ng — kawawa itong mga bata natin. Everyday ‘yung mga pamangkin ko, nandiyan sa Iligan na ayaw makipag-ano, iyak nang iyak. Paano ‘yan? Sabi ko, “Hindi, tatapusin ko talaga ito.”

But one thing I will promise you, my brother Moro, I will see to it that Marawi will rise as a prosperous city again. [applause]

Maghanap ako ng pera. ‘Yung mga nakita ko sa ano… Ah, may mga priority sana ako kasi gusto ko rin ang mga sundalo but I will set aside.

Ah, Sonny is ah, siya ‘yung tax man natin, eh. Sabi ko, “I need a big amount because I will rebuild Marawi.” Kailangan ko talaga, itayo ko ulit ang Marawi kasi ‘pag hindi, I will remain forever na kontrabida.

Wala ma… Alam ko, maintindihan ninyo. Alam ko maintindihan ninyo kasi kalaban, eh. Ang problema, kalaban pa naman ay hindi — walang… Walang direksyon kung saan niya gustong pumunta. Pumatay nang pumatay. Sumira nang sumira. Nagdamay nang lahat ng tao.

If they went to a forested area there, claimed a particular mountain, three mountains, doon mag-away, I could have forgiven them. Pero sa ginawa nila na ganito, itong Maute pati itong ISIS, there will be no quarters given and no quarters asked. 

Hayaan mo na ako. I am very sorry that this has to happen. I am not happy namamatay ang mga Maranao. Hindi ako maligaya sa hirap ninyo ngayon.

Wala akong nakitang satisfaction even in winning the war. I just wanted this thing over, and those — itong mga radicals, extremists out of the Muslim world dito. [applause] Umalis talaga sila dito.

We are not… Alam mo, Malay tayo eh. We are a Malay race. Maski na sabihin mo na we — ah, ‘yung iba naging Kristiyanos, ‘yung iba naging Muslim. We remain ‘yung ating values sa — nakuha natin as native Malay. Hindi tayo ganun. We are not that brutal and we respect life.

Makita mo naman ang respeto natin sa isa’t isa. At no other time na mawala ‘yang bigotry. Tanungin ninyo ang mga taga-Davao when Davao was booming, nobody was willing to give, to sell a condo or a — mga subdivision. Pagka taga-labas, ayaw nilang pabilihan.

I made a law on discrimination. ‘Pag ayaw mong ipagbili kay Moro ang bibili, there’s a penalty actually a sanction – imprisonment. Ginawa ko ‘yan kasi ayaw ko talaga ng bigotry because I don’t have that kind of character. Kaya ako, neutral din kasi talaga ako eh.

And even my… ‘Yung mga anak ko noong bakasyon, ‘yung mga apo ko na ‘yung mga taga-Sangkola, sa Jolo ‘yung tatay. Sila Reggie naman Maranao. Gusto daw magbakasyon doon, takot eh. Baka patayin daw sila. 
Sabi ko, “Baka nga”. Kaya hindi ko masabi kung ano ang sitwasyon doon eh. And they would have wanted to visit their — at least mga ancestral ano nila kasi para makita nila kung ano ang…

Kaya ako, talagang galit ako sa ‘yung nagpapasok ng ano because they created this situation. Hindi lang nila alam naipusta nila ang buhay ng kapwa nila na Maranao. Anak ng…

When they started to entertain the idea of waging a war against government, eh ‘di kampo na lang sana ang binira nila. But you create hell in the midst of sa Marawi? Paka-t****** mo naman. Torpe ka.

Eh hindi ko naman sabihin because I am a President of an entire Republic. Hindi sabihin mo, “Magpatayan”. They were trying to raise the ISIS flag. At mag-assume ng mga emir na title. Who are you to do that?

You know, there is a certain… Alam ko, there’s the Qur’an. It’s the Constitution. You have to follow it. That’s the highest. Nothing is above the Qur’an. So as a devout Muslim, you just have to live by the values that’s being laid down there.

Bakit ka magpa-emir-emir ka kung sino. T****** ka ba? Hindi nga ako nagpa-emir na Presidente ako na Maranao, u***. Eh ‘di ako na lang sana.

So mabuti’t ‘yan nagkita tayo, nabuhos ko ‘yung galit ko pati ‘yung sentimiyento ko.

But I said that I will look for money. Dahan-dahan lang. We will rebuild Marawi to what it was before or better this time.

Pero sila Secretary Alonto, mayaman naman sila eh ‘di bahala ka na doon sa building mo o ano. [laughter] Unahin ko ‘yung mahirap talaga na mga kapatid ko.

But I will look for money. And it will be on a long-term basis. But we will be able to rebuild Marawi.

And I hope that next time, take care of your community. Take care of the Maranao. As I’m also calling upon the Maguindanao, take care of the Maguindanao. Huwag ninyong ipasubo ang mga tao. 

Kasi kung may patayan, may giyera, ang makakawawa talaga ang civilian. You know that.

Even in the Middle East, ang kawawa civilian, mga bata. Kita mo ‘yan sa BBC, naglalakad ‘yan, gutom, walang kain. Ang gaganda pa naman nitong mga Middle Eastern. Nakakaawa. 

Fellow Muslims there are beautiful race. Tapos magpasok ng isang bakokang ng ulo, ayun na. Huwag kayong pumayag ng ganun.

Even the influential leaders, next time sabihin niyo, “No deal. Do not do that to us.” We will leave in peace and we will guarantee peace for the next generation. Sila na rin ang bahala sa kanilang ano…[applause]

Hindi ninyo kalaban ang gobyerno. There will be no abuses. Huwag ninyong tignan ang gobyerno. Ang kalaban ko lang talaga kasi ‘yung ISIS mahirap hanapin. So I have to destroy the buildings. But I said, I will lend you the money to build taller buildings.

Kapag bumalik ‘yang ISIS, bahala na kayo. I can understand I said the fighting in — with the MNLF.

Ako na mismo ang pumupunta nga sa inyo eh even before I was elected. I went to Murad, I went to Jaafar. I continue to talk to — he has the highest of respect.

Alam ko kung mag-away kami ulit, magbarilan, it’s a matter — matter of principle ‘yan eh.

Eh itong ISIS, ano bang prinsipyo nitong mga y*** na ito? T***…

Kaya ako talaga, do not think ever… Do not ever, ever think that I am enjoying the lifetime — my life now.

I’m sad and every time — hindi naman ako nanonood ng TV. Pinapatay ko or I transfer doon na lang sa cartoon.

It’s not easy to realize your fellowmen suffering and dying for nothing. Walang kasalanan talaga ‘yang mga Maranao diyan naghirap eh. P***** i**, nabwisit ako.

Wala talagang mga kasalanan. Except that they happened to be caught in a crossfire of a foreign ideology.

Saan mo nakita dito na sunugin, putulin ang ulo? When you see your enemy, shoot him in the head. Tama na ‘yan.

A warrior… Walang warrior mag… We do not do that, that’s brutality. That is not the way how a warrior lives by the code of being… Hindi lalaki, parang ganun.

So I do not want you to lose your appetite. Baka nawala nang konti, bumawi na lang kayo. Just forget what I said, but mabuti’t ‘yang naibuhos ko ‘yung sama ng loob ko.

Maraming salamat. Salaam. [applause]

—END—