Should Mindanao separate from PH as Duterte wants? Lawmakers weigh in

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Instead of calling for the separation of Mindanao from the Philippines, former President Rodrigo Duterte should leave the country and face the investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity during his bloody drug war, opposition lawmakers said Friday.

House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas of Gabriela party-list and neophyte lawmaker Raoul Manuel of Kabataan party-list made the call in response to the idea raised by Duterte for the secession of Mindanao from the Philippines through a process based on gathering signatures.

“Parang may rabies na nagwawala. Siya na lang ang humiwalay sa Pilipinas. Huwag niya idamay ang Mindanao,” Brosas said.

(He is like a dog with rabies running wild. He should be the one to separate from the Philippines. He should not drag Mindanao into this.)

“He should face the ICC [in The Hague, Netherlands],” Brosas said.

Brosas stressed that Duterte, who hails from Davao City in Mindanao, was unable to lift Mindanao to prosperity during his administration.

“He was a President for six years and he has nothing to show for it. He should face the ICC, face the victims of extrajudicial killings, face the victims of the drug war,” Brosas added.

For his part, Manuel said Duterte should not act as if he owns Mindanao.

“They (Duterte and those under investigation over the drug war) should not use Mindanao as an escape bunker amid the ICC probe,” he added.

GMA News Online has requested comment from Harry Roque, who served as Duterte’s presidential spokesperson, regarding the statements made by Brosas and Manuel.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier said that the Philippines is done talking with the ICC and that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the country. In 2019, under the then-President Duterte, the Philippines pulled out of the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC.

Secession as last resort

However, for Duterte’s staunch ally Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, the former President’s comments came from a burst of emotions and that the latter can still change his mind.

“Iyong mga ganun, bugso ng sama ng loob at may chance pa rin ‘yan na magbago, ‘yung stand, malaking tsansa pa rin ‘yan. When heads [begin] cooling down at mayroong avenue for usapan at pero mayroong makapag-connect between the two leaders, then I’m sure mawala itong hidwaan na ito dahil itong dalawang tao naman na ito as I have said, they are great leaders,” Dela Rosa said.

(Those statements come from a burst of emotions. His stand has a good chance to change. When heads begin cooling down and there is an avenue to talk, and someone connects the two leaders, then I’m sure this rift will go away. As I have said, they are great leaders.)

In the “worst” case scenario, Dela Rosa said he would back Mindanao’s secession from the Philippines.

“Well, worse comes to worst, I would want the separation [of Mindanao]… legally. In a legal way. But if we can save it, we have to save it. We only have one Philippines. We should not dismember our country. I am a Filipino as much as I am a Mindanaoan,” Dela Rosa said.

Asked what situation can be considered worse coming to worst, dela Rosa responded by saying, “Eh kung talagang hindi na magkaintindihan ‘yung leader, at saka ‘yung mga taumbayan ay mag-decide na ayaw nila.”

(It will come when we reach the point that leaders don’t see eye-to-eye and the public decides that they are not in favor [of secession].) — VDV, GMA Integrated News

This article Should Mindanao separate from PH as Duterte wants? Lawmakers weigh in was originally published in GMA News Online.