MINDANAO SECESSION | 57 lawmakers reject calls to separate Mindanao from the Philippines

February 21, 2024 , 09:39 PM

By Clarist Zablan

(February 21, 2024) – Several lawmakers, most of whom hail from Mindanao, rejected on Wednesday calls for the southern island group to secede from the rest of the Philippines, stressing the need for peace and “national unity.”

In a manifesto signed by 57 members of the Lower House, including 53 from Mindanao, the lawmakers said the public must uphold the Constitution and the rule of law.

“The path to a prosperous Mindanao lies not in secession but in unity, inclusive growth, and the relentless pursuit of peace,” the manifesto read. “We call upon our fellow Mindanaoans, Filipinos across the nation, and the international community to join us in supporting a vision of a united, equitable, and thriving Philippines.”

The lawmakers also called for the prosecution of people and entities who have been “fostering disunity among our people, blatantly violating our Constitution, and threatening the sovereign integrity of our nation,” which they said undermined peace and betrayed their oath of office to support the Constitution.

“It is therefore imperative that we stand together to protect our constitutional democracy through legal means, ensuring that those who seek to divide us are held accountable under the full extent of the law,” the lawmakers said.

Last month, former president Rodrigo Duterte floated the idea of separating Mindanao from the rest of the country.

The suggestion came as the former leader hurled tirades at his successor, President Ferdinand “Bongong” Marcos Jr., in what political observers viewed last month to be signs of a fallout in their “UniTeam” political alliance. Marcos has denied speculations of a fallout happening.

Marcos described the calls for secession a “sheer Constitutional travesty,” and urged the public to stop the proposal that he said was “doomed to fail.”

“This is a grave violation of the Constitution. Hindi ito ang Bagong Pilipinas na ating hinuhubog. Bagkus, ito ay pag-wasak mismo sa ating bansang Pilipinas,” the leader said about the Mindanao secession calls during a public address on February 8.

Marcos’ security officials also opposed the Mindanao secession proposal. Retired Army general Eduardo Año, the national security adviser, said the government will not hesitate to use its forces to stop all attempts for it to happen.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, who also hails from Mindanao, said the country should just focus on fostering unities rather than causing divisions.

(MM | With reports from Marianne Enriquez, News5)

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