PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday night vowed that the government will not touch the reported 68 billion cubic feet of methane gas in Liguasan Marsh in Maguindanao.

In a speech during the 2018 Eid’l Fitr celebration in Davao City, Duterte said the untapped gas is only for Moros.

Moros are the Muslim inhabitants in the Philippines.





“There is much worry, and they are weary about the things in Liguasan Marsh. If there are trillions of cubic meters of oil, do not be worried at all. That will be untouched by the government. That is yours, no one will take that,” Duterte said.

The President added that there will be no clashes there, as long as the people will pay taxes to the government.

“But if there are rich Filipinos who will go there, I promise you [that they would not be allowed to get their hands on the methane gas] and that’s my commitment, it belongs to the Moro people. That’s yours,” Duterte said.

The President, however, added that it would be normal if people from other religions come and benefit from the mineral reserve.

“If you grow rich, you from Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat, do not stop other people from going there, because money is there,” Duterte said, referring to two of the provinces populated by Moros in southern Mindanao.

“If there is a commercial activity and there’s really oil in Liguasan Marsh, my God, all will go there. Christian, Muslims, lumad [indigenous peoples] and will join the fray to enjoy progress and development,” he added.

His statements came a month after he oversaw the opening of the Alegria Oilfield Polyard-3 Well Site in Alegria, Cebu.