One Mindanao call is 'foolishness,' says Carpio

Several lawmakers rejected the call revived by former President Rodrigo Duterte for a separate Mindanao, and a former top Supreme Court magistrate branded it as "foolishness" and a mere "slogan."

Former Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who hails from Davao, also said the idea of Mindanao seceding from the Philippines through a process based on gathering signatures, as what Duterte raised, is against the 1987 Constitution.

"This is just a slogan. There is nothing to secede, it is against the Constitution. That is threatening the integrity of the national territory," Carpio said on a "24 Oras" report by Chino Gaston and Tina Pangaiban-Perez.

"Yabang lang 'yan. They have been threatening to secede ever since... matagal na ito, 20 years ago pa 'yan. But nobody will join them, this is foolishness," he added.

At a news conference in Davao City Tuesday night, Duterte said it was Davao Del Norte Representative Pantaleon Alvarez who first pushed for the "desirability of Mindanao seceding from the Republic of the Philippines."

"There's a process, I think, before the UN [United Nations] wherein you would gather signatures from all sorts of Mindanao verified under oath in the presence of so many people [to] decide that we want a separate..." Duterte had said.

"Kaya kung ganu'n lang naman kayo diyan sa Luzon, sa Visayas, bahala kayo," he added.

In 1986, a convention was held in Cagayan de Oro attended by some 500 political, civic, and professional leaders who pushed for the separation of Mindanao from the Philippines.  The gathering also reportedly discussed the future constitution of the proposed Mindanao Federal Republic

The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and its breakaway faction, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), were also known as Muslim separatist movements that fought the government. 

The MNLF signed a peace agreement with the government in 1996, while the MILF had its peace pact in 2014.

The peace deal with the groups resulted in the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao instead of a separate state.

At the Senate, Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III, a Mindanaoan, and Senator Francis Escudero both opposed the pitch.

Movers of the call for a separate Mindanao said that with the region's abundant resources, it could survive without the support of the national government.

In 2022, 17 percent of the country's gross domestic product came from Mindanao. At least 23 percent of the Philippines' rice supply comes from the region.

Mindanao also produces over 80 percent of the country's pineapples, coffee, and bananas. Over 50 percent of coconut and corn production also comes from the region.

It is also a source of gold, nickel and other minerals.

Alvarez said the push for One Mindanao would be done through a signature campaign, similar to recent drive to amend the Constitution.

Alvarez, a former speaker, said Mindanao has long been neglected despite its natural wealth.

"Hindi madaling gawin ito. Mahirap din dahil gagawin namin ito nang maayos. Walang gulo definitely. Kailangan kahit na mahirap gawin yung ikutan yung buong Mindanao para ipaliwanag sa lahat ng tiga-Mindanao kung bakit ginagawa namin ito at bakit namin gagawin ito," he said.

When asked about One Mindanao, some lawmakers said they are open to discussions about it.

Gusto kong pag-aralan, gusto kong tingnan if it's really worth it," Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said.

Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose "Mannix" Dalipe said, "Ayaw naming humiwalay."

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, who is from Bukidnon, said, "No comment ako. With due respect to the former president, the last thing we want right now ay magwatak-watak ang ating bansa," he said.—LDF, GMA Integrated News