LAWMAKERS from Mindanao have signed a manifesto rejecting former President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for the island of Mindanao to separate from the rest of the country, saying those who are fomenting divisiveness should be prosecuted.
The manifesto was signed by 57 congressmen, of which 53 are from Mindanao.
The congressmen, led by House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, Lanao del Sur Rep. Yasser Alonto Balindong and Misamis Oriental Rep. Yevgeny Vicente Emano, chair of the House Committee on Mindanao Affairs, signed the “Unified Manifesto for National Integrity and Development,” strongly opposing Duterte’s call for an independent Mindanao.
“We signed the manifesto as one voice, one nation, rejecting all calls for the secession of Mindanao. We will not be a party to an unconstitutional proposal to break the territorial integrity of the Philippines. We make our intentions known, as Mindanao lawmakers,” said Lanao del Norte Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo, one of the signatories and who is the chair of the House Committee on Muslim Affairs.
The congressmen expressed their commitment to the need to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law and called for “the diligent prosecution of all individuals and entities fostering disunity among our people, blatantly violating our Constitution, and threatening the sovereign integrity of our nation.”
“Such actions not only undermine our democratic principles, the peace and security of our communities, and the collective welfare of the Filipino people but also betrays our oath of office to support and defend the Constitution, and to bear true faith and allegiance to the same, imposing upon ourselves this solemn obligation voluntarily, without mental reservation and purpose of evasion,” they said.
“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,” they added.
Duterte earlier said the move to separate Mindanao from the rest of the country is neither a form of rebellion nor sedition as there are precedents of such a move in other parts of the world, while Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez has said their call for secession is not a criminal act of sedition because they intend to push for it peacefully and not through violent means.
President Marcos Jr., who has a rift with the former president who accused him of being a “drug addict,” has already said the call to separate Mindanao is “doomed to fail” as people from the affected areas see it as a “preposterous proposal.”
“We, the elected representatives of Mindanao in the House of Representatives, firmly oppose the calls for the secession of Mindanao from the Republic of the Philippines. Our stance is deeply rooted in our belief in national unity, the power of inclusive development, and the promise of a peaceful, progressive future for all Filipinos, including the indigenous people of Mindanao,” the manifesto said.
“Mindanao’s vibrant cultural diversity represents the nation’s broader principle of unity in diversity. We stand for fostering understanding and collaboration across all communities within the framework of the Republic, enriching our shared national identity and heritage,” it also said.
“Our pursuit of peace and security is aligned with the government’s commitment to reconciliation and the empowerment of the BARMM. We believe that lasting peace is achieved through dialogue, mutual respect, and inclusive governance, under the banner of our sovereign nation,” it stressed.
The manifesto said the challenges facing Mindanao and the entire country “demand collective action and shared responsibility” and commended the Marcos administration’s “dedication to addressing disparities and fostering a more inclusive development model.”
