MANILA, Philippines — After accusing President Marcos of being behind the people’s initiative signature campaign to change the Constitution, former president Rodrigo Duterte has put forward the idea of Mindanao seceding from the rest of the Philippines.
Duterte said there is currently a “regrouping of the political arena that is still in the works” that would lead to the campaign for Mindanao to separate from the rest of the country.
He clarified this was not the start of a rebellion, but rather a continuation of the advocacy of Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, former House speaker.
“It’s not a rebellion. There is a process in the UN where you would gather signatures in Mindanao verifying under oath, in the presence of the many people, that you want a separate (nation),” Duterte said.
His desire to secede, he said, is born out of frustration from the way the country is being run, and how after so many presidents the Philippines has not progressed.
He expressed confidence that an independent Mindanao can stand on its own, given its many natural resources. “We have everything and yet we give all our resources (to the Visayas and Luzon). Mindanao is rich,” he said.
Duterte acknowledged that separating from the rest of the country might cause people from the Visayas and Luzon to flock to Mindanao.
“But of course, if we separate and become independent and the Filipinos will come here, it’s going to be a problem. But you can come here. Mga taga Luzon at Visayas, we will not deny you,” he said.
“What is at stake now is our future, so we’ll just separate,” he added. While he is for an independent Mindanao, Duterte clarified that he will not be seeking another political post.?“I will just be an advisor. If this independent Mindanao will materialize, I will not run for office,” he said.
Alvarez for his part said there is no reason why an independent Mindanao will not succeed.
“Let us take for example the case of Singapore. There was no bloodshed, it was peaceful. What is the size of Singapore? It is exactly as small as Siargao Island in Surigao. Singapore has one asset – good governance, and we have lots of good leaders in Mindanao who know how to run a government,” he said.
?Alvarez also gave assurance that there would be no shortcuts to the process of secession.
“We will take the pains of explaining. We will let the people understand,” he said.
This will be Alvarez’s last term in Congress, after which he will devote his time going around Mindanao on an information campaign. – Edith Regalado, Marc Jayson Cayabyab