Duterte, Misuari meet in Palace amid 'rumblings' from MNLF

President Rodrigo Duterte had a meeting with Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari on Monday after the chief executive revealed about supposed rumblings within the group.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the meeting took place in Malacañang, their first since the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law and the formation of a transition authority that will govern the new Bangsamoro region until elections in 2022. 

Panelo said the meeting lasted 15 minutes, and that another meeting will be set at a later date.

LOOK: President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday met with Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari in Malacañang. The Palace said the meeting lasted 15 minutes. ????: Bong Go @gmanews pic.twitter.com/EGYlDq5N2t

— Virgil Lopez (@virgillopez) February 26, 2019

"What transpired last night was the President told the [MNLF] chairman that he admired his patience and he apologized for not having implemented or enforced whatever agreements that they had previously with respect to federalism or something. And they would be talking again precisely for that," the Palace official said at a news conference.

The meeting came after the President spoke before barangay officials on Monday about “rumblings” within the MNLF, which allegedly complained about the composition of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front-led Bangsamoro Transition Authority.

“There are rumblings about the MNLF. Sabi namin, come and join, but Misuari is gnawing out and I have ordered the military and police, may kaso siya, allow siya, he will come back,” he said at the 1st National Assembly of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

The Sandiganbayan on Tuesday allowed Misuari, who is facing graft and malversation cases, to attend the 48th Session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council (OIC) of Foreign Ministers and the 14th Session of the Parliamentary Union of Islamic Cooperation (PUIC) Member States to be held in United Arab Emirates and Morocco, respectively.

Panelo, meanwhile, said Misuari did not mention anything about the BTA composition issue during the meeting with Duterte.

The Palace official echoed the statement of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Carlito Galvez Jr. that there "has been an equitable distribution or representation" in the 80-member BTA.

Duterte earlier said he wanted to meet  Misuari on the matter of securing lasting peace in Mindanao.

The 73-year-old President indicated that he wanted to expedite things because he was old and that he only has three years left in office. —KBK, GMA News