Marawi City ruins
MARAWI CITY, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte directed Special Assistant to the President Bong Go to ensure a comprehensive land survey in Marawi City.
This was after President Duterte promised to return Marawi City to its native settlers, the Maranaos.
“We are rebuilding Marawi, the money is slowly coming in. It’s not overnight. If it had been cleared already, leveled to the ground, we will return it to you,” President Duterte said Friday, May 11,
Aside from this, the President also directed Presidential Adviser on OFWs and Muslim concerns Secretary Abdullah Mama-o to negotiate with the Maute militant group after a number of Maute members surrendered to authorities last week. The surrenderers said some of their colleagues signified their intention to surrender as well.
The President tasked Mama-o to assess if it is possible to open an amnesty program for potential Maute surrenderers.
However, President Duterte warned the Maute militants not to enter into an alliance with the New People’s Army (NPA). Should they decide to surrender, they would be among the recipients of the land reform once it pushes through in Mindanao.
The land reform eyes clear designation of land to Maranaos and other tribal communities. The president said he is willing to provide equipment such as tractors for the locals to cultivate the land and turn the into plantation of rubber trees and palm for palm oil production.
The president also plans to send Maute surrenderers to Malaysia and Indonesia in order to acquire knowledge on palm plantation and palm oil production. — Weng Fernandez | UNTV News & Rescue
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