Roxas assures Cardinal Quevedo Mindanao peace process continues if elected president

Presidential aspirant Mar Roxas with running mate Rep. Leni Robredo during a campaign.
(Facebook photo)

COTABATO CITY – Administration presidential aspirant on Thursday assured His Eminence Orlando Cardinal Quevedo that, if elected president, he will work hard for the attainment of genuine peace in Mindanao.

Roxas, who barnstormed Cotabato City, Maguindanao and North Cotabato, met with Quevedo, archbishop of Cotabato and the group he heads, the Friends for Peace, an alliance of Mindanao peace advocates, during which he sought forgiveness for unconsciously offended Muslims in Mindanao during a presidential debate last month.

Roxas, LP standard bearer, used the words “Muslim na Mananakop” in reference to armed men that seized Zamboanga City in 2013.

“There was no insult intended, that might have been unfortunate use of words,” Roxas said.

“I did not realize that it had created quite a stir. It was not intended. It was a terminology that was used in the early days before we have identified who are these armed people taking over Zamboanga,” Roxas clarified.

After meeting with the Cardinal and joining the culmination of Women’s Month celebration in Cotabato City, Roxas, accompanied by Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu and provincial LP chair, Maguindanao Rep. Bai Sandra Sema, proceeded to Camp Darapanan in nearby Sultan Kudarat town to meet with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chair Al Haj Murad.

Murad later told the crowd gathered during the LP leaders visit that the under Roxas administration there is greater chances the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) becoming a law.

In Pikit, North Cotabato, loud chants of “Mar Roxas” greeted the LP standard bearer as his yellow choppers landed beside the town gymnasium.

Roxas then told the crowd, if given the chance to lead the country, he will push and continue President Aquino’s Mindanao peace policies aimed at establishing genuine and acceptable peace in Mindanao.