Duterte-appointed ex-AFP chief urges Filipinos: Reject calls for Mindanao secession
MANILA, Philippines — Carlito Galvez Jr., presidential adviser on peace, reconciliation and unity on Friday urged Filipinos to reject any movement calling for an independent Mindanao to separate from the Philippines.
Galvez issued a statement days after former President Rodrigo Duterte put forward the idea of a Mindanao secession from the Philippines through a people’s initiative signature campaign.
“Let us therefore turn away from any call or movement that aims to destabilize our beloved nation, especially to separate Mindanao from the rest of the country,” Galvez said in a statement.
Galvez was appointed as the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in 2018 during Duterte’s presidency. He was also first appointed in his current post as presidential adviser on peace, reconciliation and unity in the same year and was reappointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2023.
The former AFP chief slammed the idea of Mindanao secession as it is unconstitutional.
“For one, this call for separation is anathema to the letter and spirit of the Philippine Constitution, which is the bulwark of our nation’s identity as a people,” Galvez said.
This was earlier pointed out by former senator Panfilo Lacson, citing the constitutional provision defining the national territory of the Philippines.
Galvez also noted that the country is already reaping the rewards of the comprehensive peace process, inclusive of the Bangsamoro autonomy.
In 2018, Duterte signed the Bangsamoro Organic Law which established the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The initiative, according to Galvez, has successfully concluded decades of armed conflict in Mindanao, with former members of revolutionary groups actively contributing to nation-building.
“We cannot afford to go back to square one. We must learn our lessons from the past and apply these to all aspects of our life as peace-loving citizens,” Galvez said.
According to the former president, the secession movement, which will “not be a bloody one,” would be headed by former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (Davao del Norte).
The calls for the secession of Mindanao, however, have also been opposed by leaders of BARMM, saying that they will continue to adhere with the provisions of the Comprehensive Agreement of the Bangsamoro "towards the right to self-determination."
“We, therefore, urge everyone to help protect the gains of the peace processes. Let us continue to support the current administration and allow peace and civility to reign over the affairs of our land,” BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim said in a statement on Friday.
On Thursday, Representative Raoul Manuel of Kabataan Partylist suggested that former President Duterte might be advocating for Mindanao's secession to evade the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC, in 2023, gave the green light to resume its investigation into Duterte's "war on drugs" during his tenure as president and earlier, as the mayor of Davao City.
- Latest
- Trending
