Gov’t vows to crush Mindanao secession
National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Año denounced recent calls for the separation of Mindanao from the rest of the Philippines, saying that any attempt at secession would be met with “resolute force.”
In a statement issued by Malacañang on Sunday, Año said that any attempt to divide the country would be “counterproductive and detrimental to our collective progress.”
Last 30 January, former President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to separate Mindanao from the rest of the Philippines as he and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. disagreed on efforts to amend the 1987 Constitution.
Duterte said in a press briefing at the time that he intended to “regroup” the leaders of Mindanao, with Davao del Norte’s first district representative and former House Speaker Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez being the leader of the Mindanao initiative.
While the former president did not specify if it is a movement or a political organization, several political analysts said the Mindanao Initiative aims to separate the island of Mindanao from the Republic of the Philippines.
Alvarez, who was also in the press briefing as Duterte, claimed that their secession strategy would not result in violence.
“What about secession if it’s not bloody? Let us take the case of Singapore, when Lee Kuan Yew and the other leaders in Singapore decided to secede from Malaysia in 1963-1964-1965 without any bloodshed,” he said.
But Año, who served as Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff during the Duterte presidency, is not having any of the talks about secession, even if it is coming from his former commander-in-chief.
Año warned that any attempt to secede would be met with force, citing the government’s responsibility to uphold the territorial integrity of the Philippines.
“The National Government will not hesitate to use its authority and forces to quell and stop any and all attempts to dismember the Republic. The government will meet any attempt to secede any part of the Philippines with resolute force, as it remains steadfast in securing the sovereignty and integrity of the national territory,” Año said.
He also appealed to the public to remain vigilant against attempts to sow discord and called for collective action towards a peaceful and prosperous future for all Filipinos.
“The strength of our nation lies in our unity,” Año said. “Any suggestion of secession not only runs counter to the Constitution but also threatens to undo the hard-won gains of peace and development, particularly in Mindanao.”
He highlighted the success of the comprehensive peace process in bringing an end to decades of armed conflict in the region, leading to a transformation “from volatility and violence to one of progress, stability, hope.”
“We emphasize that calls for the division of our country only serve to undermine our collective progress and prosperity,” Año said.““The strength of our country lies in our unity and any attempt to sow division must be rejected by all sectors unequivocally” he added.
While acknowledging the region’s unique characteristics, Ano stressed that addressing these concerns must happen within the framework of national unity and the Constitution.
“The comprehensive peace process, which has brought an end to decades of armed conflict in Mindanao, must be vigorously safeguarded and built upon,” Año stated.
Elected Mindanao leaders also expressed opposition to breaking away from the republic. (See related story)
In the press conference, Alvarez pointed out that, “had Lee Kuan Yew and the other leaders not mustered enough courage to separate from Malaysia, maybe until now, Singapore would still be a part of a third-world country.”
“Now, compare it (Singapore) with Mindanao — Mindanao has abundant natural resources, agriculture, and a population. There is no reason why an independent Mindanao country would not succeed,” Alvarez said.
“The only asset Singapore has is good governance. And there are a lot of leaders in Mindanao who are capable, knowledgeable in running a government,” Alvarez said then.
