President Rodrigo Duterte attends 1st Bangsamoro Assembly

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte attends the gathering of Moro communities and other stakeholders supporting the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, during the Bangsamoro Assembly at the Old Provincial Capitol, in Barangay Crossing Simuay in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao on Monday, November 27, 2017.

The convening of the Bangsamoro Assembly is one of the mandates of the expanded Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) composed of the Government of the Philippines (GPH), Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and representatives of Indigenous Peoples (Lumads) that drafted the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

"I will work very hard for it.  I will ask Congress to a special session just to hear you talk about this in Congress," Duterte said.

"Ang akin, it must be inclusive.  Lahat.  Walang maiwan dito sa peace talks na ito.  The MILF, the MNLF, lahat na, Lumad, kailangan kasali," he added.

Duterte vowed to support the BBL, adding he will try to work out the disagreements in the proposals that will be discussed in Congress.

Meanwhile, he asked the public for more patience as the passage of the proposed BBL could encounter some delays due to the complexity of the issue.

President Duterte speaks before an audience of pre-selected MILF fighters, and members of the Moro National Liberation Front as well as from Christian and indigenous peoples' communities in the audience.