Former President Rodrigo Duterte said that his comments regarding Mindanao's secession were just a "tactic" to highlight the historical neglect of the southern island.

In a press conference late Tuesday evening, Duterte downplayed the seriousness of his previous call for Mindanao's separation, claiming it was a "way of kicking their feet" and emphasizing the need for a fairer distribution of resources from the national government.

"Don’t take (the Mindanao secession remarks) seriously. It was just sarcasm and a tactic because if you don't act like those from Manila, it's like kicking their feet and saying that you are not the only Filipino here," Duterte said.

However, he acknowledged a "legitimate dream" among some Mindanao residents for an independent state. He cited historical "maltreatment" and the island's economic lag as reasons for such aspirations.

"We have always been an economic laggard. We only started catching up when I became president," Duterte said.

While acknowledging his own efforts towards Mindanao's development, the former president emphasized his opposition to any literal dismemberment of the Philippines.

"I don't want my country dismembered. I don't want any parts of the country to be taken away," he declared. "I just want a better deal for Mindanao," Duterte said.

Last month, Duterte mentioned that he had requested former House Speaker and Davao del Norte Representative Pantaleon Alvarez to spearhead the movement as he was one of the earliest proponents to discuss "the idea of Mindanao seceding from the Republic of the Philippines."

However, several leaders from Mindanao, including Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Chief Minister Ahod "Al Haj Murad" Ebrahim, dismissed the proposal, expressing skepticism about Duterte's intentions.