Sulu leaders visit former President Duterte

DAVAO CITY – Sulu Governor Sakur Tan, tagging his 19 municipal mayors, visited ex-President Rodrigo Duterte in his hometown in the southern Philippine city of Davao, and thanked the former leader for all he had done for the province and its people.

Photos posted on the Bangsamoro Governors' Caucus-Sulu show former President Rodrigo Duterte with Sulu Governor Sakur Tan and his municipal mayors during a meeting at the Enclaves Residences in Davao City in southern Philippines. 

The 78-year old Duterte, who was with Senator Bong Go, thanked Tan and the mayors for still remembering him even though he is no longer president after he stepped down in June last year, ending his six-year term.

Tan confirmed the visit and said he and his people have so much respect for Duterte not only as the former president, but for the many peace and development projects he poured into Sulu during his administration.

“Very happy ako, kaming lahat kasi talagang malaki ang respeto ko at ng Sulu sa kanya. Ang daming mga proyekto ang ibinigay ni Pangulong Duterte sa Sulu at buong puso ang pasasalamat namin mga Tausug sa lahat ng ginawa at kabutihan at pagmamahal niya sa amin,” the governor told The Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper by phone on Thursday.

The meeting between Duterte and Tan’s group took place at the Enclaves Residences on Monday, June 5. But this was only made public on Wednesday, June 7, after the Bangsamoro Governors’ Caucus – Sulu posted photos of the visit on Facebook and quickly went viral after it was shared by netizens and supporters of Duterte and Tan.

In the post, it said: “Province of Sulu Governor Abdusakur M. Tan, along with Sulu Mayors and representatives from the 19 municipalities, had a substantive conversation with Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on June 5, 2023, at Enclaves in Davao City. Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Tesoro Go was also present and expressed his gratitude for the Sulu leaders' visit.”

“While calling each other "idol" and "kaibigan" and recounting PRRD's staunch support for the Bangsa Sug during his stint as president, he and Governor Tan reignited the tenderness of their friendship. PRRD recounted his Muslim lineage and professed his fervent desire to support the Bangsa Sug. PRRD and Senator Bong Go reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to stand behind and assist Gov. Tan's and all Sulu's municipal mayors' plans in response to Gov. Tan's communication of the region's pressing concerns.”

PRRD refers to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, whom Tan and his mayors campaigned for during the 2016 national elections while other governors and mayors in the autonomous region were all campaigning for Mar Roxas.

Another set of photos of the meeting were also posted on the Bangsamoro Governors’ Caucus – Sulu late Wednesday and a few paragraphs recalling Duterte’s frequent visits in the province when he was president, the only Filipino leader, it said, who spent so much time in Sulu, one of six provinces under the Muslim region.

“They call him “Tatay Digong.” He is the only President to date who visited Sulu more than ten times. In one instance, as narrated by Sulu Governor Sakur Tan, military trucks were gathered to light up the dark runway as he overstayed in Sulu. And he is the Governor of Sulu, who is grateful for the Tatay’s concern for the Tausugs and the Muslims, that, even though he is no longer the President, he still pays courtesy,” it said.

“The Tatay said: “The problem is not Mindanao but the absence of a decision”, “no guts, no glory.” The reason why I was always in Sulu is that the Muslim matters to me, I need to listen to a leader like you Gov Sakur and your people. He then listened to Gov Sakur who abreast with common issues he shared with the other BARMM Governors on peace and security, inclusive governance and development, and justice which prompted them to create the BARMM Governors’ Caucus,” it added.

Last Tuesday, June 6, Tan and four other provincial governors of the Bangsamoro autonomous region - Mamintal Adiong Jr. of Lanao del Sur; Jim Hataman Salliman of Basilan; Mariam Mangudadatu of Maguindanao Del Sur; and Yshmael Sali of Tawi-Tawi - launched the caucus in Cagayan de Oro City in an effort to address issues and concerns facing the restive region in southern Philippines.

The caucus, the governors said, is a platform that will advocate and promote the issues their constituents have identified as critical and important. They said the caucus is committed to support the peace process and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region and will engage in dialogue towards greater cooperation and collaboration with the national and regional government and multisectoral groups.

The caucus believes that sustainable peace and development can only be achieved under a strong regime of rule of law, adding it will engage with the national government and the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, and other stakeholders in strengthening rule of law and democratic institutions in the region, according to the governor of Sulu.

“We will strongly advocate for and make sure that regional policies and laws are consistent with the Constitution, the Bangsamoro Organic Law and other national laws, when called for, we will, support legal challenges in courts against regional laws and policies that violate the Constitution, the BOL (Bangsamoro Organic Law) and other national laws,” Tan said. (Mindanao Examiner)