Duterte assures his administration will preserve ''fragile'' peace in Mindanao
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday assured the Filipino Muslims his administration will preserve "fragile" peace in Mindanao.
"Allow me to take this moment to assure you that this administration will endeavor to preserve the fragile peace that we have built in this region that I call home," Duterte said in his speech during the celebration of Eid'l Fitr in Davao City.
"Allow me to take this moment to assure you that through the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, we will consistently uphold the rights and welfare of all Muslim Filipinos and for that matter for all Filipinos," he added.
Duterte said any form of violence against the Muslim community or any other tribe especially those arising from religious extremism, hatred, discrimination and misguided beliefs will never be tolerated and will be dealt with by the full force of the law.
"I urge the entire nation to contemplate upon the true meaning of Ramadan. May this time of joy remind us of our shared pursuit to establish lasting peace and stability across the country, especially in Mindanao," he said.
"Let today’s joyful celebration remind us that we need to work in solidarity with one another so that we can achieve a common dream for a more peaceful, just and prosperous Philippines," he added.
Duterte said with the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Filipinos can work more closely and efficiently with each other to foster a more harmonious and meaningful relationship among all ethnic groups in the region.
He said this important occasion for the Muslim people serves as an inspiration for the nation to be firm and committed to own convictions, religious or otherwise.
Duterte said Eid’l Fitr, or the “Festival of Breaking of the Fast,” is a testament to the strength, faithfulness and solidarity of Muslim brothers and sisters across the nation and around the world.
"Let us keep in mind that at the heart of the Islamic faith and teachings of Allah is the most important or are --- the sacrifice, the value of charity, the reverent duty to look [out] for each other, and one would look out for himself," he said.
"I hope that despite our differences, each of us will realize that we share the same desire to lead brighter and better lives filled with optimism and acceptance," he added. Ella Dionisio/DMS
