No discussion with Marcos regarding One Mindanao issue, says Abalos

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has neither discussed nor given specific instructions regarding calls to separate Mindanao from the Philippines, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said Tuesday.

"Wala kaming pinag-usapan tungkol doon (We didN't have any discussion regarding that)," Abalos told Palace reporters 

Asked if the President has instructions regarding the proposal, Abalos said, "Wala eh... hindi na lang pinatulan (there was none, it was downplayed), let's put it that way."

Former President Rodrigo Duterte earlier raised the idea of Mindanao seceding from the Philippines through a process based on gathering signatures.

A former mayor of Davao City who served for multiple terms, Duterte said it was Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez who first pushed for the "desirability of Mindanao seceding from the Republic of the Philippines."

Alvarez said the push for the separation of Mindanao would be done through a signature campaign, similar to the recent drive to amend the 1987 Constitution.

Asked if the former president could be held liable on the call to separate the southern part of the Philippines, Abalos said it is already up to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to determine Duterte's liability.

''Well, it’s up for the Department of Justice to analyze all of these things,'' Abalos said. 

Groups have already expressed opposition on the call, with the League of Provinces of the Philippines saying that the call destroys the integrity of the territory of the nation.

Abalos, meanwhile, said there was no order from Marcos to issue statements opposing the call on having One Mindanao.

''No, no. Definitely, walang [there is no] order,'' Abalos said. — KBK/RSJ, GMA Integrated News