THE public stance taken by government leaders and local government executives for a united government and rejecting moves to secede Mindanao was made voluntarily, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said yesterday.
Abalos, in a briefing after a sectoral meeting in Malacañang, Abalos, said statements of support and calls for a “united, undivided, one Philippines” were voluntary on the part of those who have taken a stand on the issue.
“Kung sino lang ang gustong maglabas, ilalabas nila. Ganoon lang iyon. So iyong mga lumalabas na iyan, talagang nagmamalasakit lang sa mga nangyayari ngayon (Anyone who have publicly issued a statement [rejecting the plan] come out with their positions because they just really care about what is happening now),” he said.
Abalos said there was no directive for any department, agency, officials, individuals, or groups to come up with a position or statement on the plan of former President Rodrigo Duterte to separate Mindanao from the rest of the country through a people’s initiative.
“No. Definitely, walang order (there was no order),” Abalos said when asked by reporters if the common stand against Duterte’s “One Mindanao” plan was ordered by President Marcos Jr.
Several department officials, local government executives, and local government organizations, among others, have declared their opposition to Duterte’s plan.
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) has also issued news releases about the support of different groups, national and local officials to a “united, undivided, one Philippines” in support of the Marcos government.
To clarify perceptions that the statements were issued on the basis of a government directive, Abalos said the issue was not even discussed during the latest sectoral meeting held in Malacañang.
“Hindi na lang pinatulan. Let us put it that way (It was not given attention. Let us put it that way),” he said.
Abalos said that as far as the Constitution is concerned, separating Mindanao is violation of the Constitution.
“Ang linaw sa Konstitusyon, nakalatag kung ano ang Pilipinas: gaano kalaki ito, anong isla ang kasama rito. Kung mayroong gagawa at paghihiwalayin ito, I mean, lahat tayo, that’s a violation of the Constitution. Talagang ganoon kaseryoso ito ‘no, kung titingnan mo. It’s a dismemberment of the republic (The Constitution is clear. It states what the Philippines is, how big it is, what islands are part of it. If anyone separates it, I mean, all of us, that’s a violation of the Constitution. That is how serious it is, if you look at it. It’s a dismemberment of the republic),” he said.
Asked if Duterte can be held liable for the planned secession of Mindanao, Abalos said it is up to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to analyze the situation and determine if actions can be taken against the former president.
On the possible conduct of loyalty checks among members of the police to determine if there are supporters of the planned Mindanao separation, police chief General Benjamin Acorda Jr. said intelligence gathering is part of the job of the police.
“Kasama palagi ng trabaho naming iyan, iyong counter-intelligence — kasama sa trabaho namin iyan. And every commander is talagang required but it’s part of their job. Now, my take is that when we took our oath as police officers or even in the positions part of it is in upholding the rule of law and the Constitution. So, talagang trabaho namin iyan and we see to it that the territory is protected (Counter- intelligence is part of our job. And every commander is required, it’s part of their job. Now, my take is that when we take our oath as police officers or even in the positions, part of said we should uphold the rule of law and the Constitution. So, it is really our job to see to it that the territory is protected),” Acorda said. Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez said his and Duterte’s call for Mindanao’s separation from the rest of the country is not a criminal act of sedition because they intend to push for it peacefully and not through violent means.
“I studied it, and it appears that it does not fall under the elements of such crime. “Kasi ‘pag sedition (Because it it’s sedition), kailangan mo ng (it calls for a) tumultuous affair,” the former speaker, who, like Duterte, is also a lawyer, told radio dzBB. “Hindi naman kami nanggugulo (We’re not causing turmoil).”
Camiguin Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo and son Camiguin Gov. Xavier Jesus Romualdo earlier warned Duterte and Alvarez that “they could be held criminally liable for sedition for their contentious and divisive secession movement.”
Rep. Romualdo even urged the House leadership to investigate Alvarez for his role in advocating for the separation of Mindanao from the rest of the Philippines “and should the evidence warrant, the House should initiate expulsion proceedings against him.”
Alvarez also reacted to Acorda’s warning that authorities will be closely monitoring those who are calling for secession, saying he understands where the police chief is coming from.
“Naiintindihan ko ‘yan (I understand that). On my part, I assume full responsibility on my actions. Hindi naman natin nanaisin na mauwi sa gulo (We don’t want it to lead to chaos).
Kaya ang sinasabi ko (That’s why, what I’m saying is it should be) peaceful. Hindi tayo manggugulo (We’ll not cause a turmoil),” he said.
Alvarez defended his call, citing the case of island-state of Singapore, which used to be a part of Malaysia before it became an independent and prosperous state. “If the Singapore leaders were not brave enough to make that move, it would have remained a third world country,” Alvarez said.
He also decried the lack of help from the national government, noting that the recent flooding in Davao Region alone affected over 72,000 families and killed at least 18 people.
Alvarez said this happened in the aftermath of the Marcos administration’s alleged refusal to fund flood projects in the region.
“When this administration came in, a lot of pending flood control projects were removed in the national budget, in 2023 and 2024. Kaya kapag umulan nang todo-todo, bumabaha (That’s why when it rains heavily, it floods),” he said.
TASK FORCE DAVAO
Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner yesterday shut down reports about the military’s supposed plan to abolish Task Force Davao, its counter-terrorism unit in Davao City.
Brawner’s statement came a day after former presidential spokesman presidential spokesman Harry Roque claimed the military will abolish the task force amid talks that Duterte will soon be arrested in relation to the drug war probe being conducted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In his Facebook page on Monday, Roque said the former president called and told him that he has received information that he will be arrested anytime.
Duterte is facing investigation by the ICC in connection wit h his administration’s war on drugs which has led to the death of thousands of suspects.
Roque said he made an inquiry and found out that there might be truth to what Duterte was saying, adding he also got information that there are plans to disband Task Force Davao.
Roque said the abolition of the task force, which he said is composed of about 700 men, could be because the military knows the unit is loyal to the Duterte family.
The task force was established by the Armed Forces in April 2003, a month after the bombings at the Davao International Airport and Sasa Wharf.
“I would like to state that reports about the disbandment of Task Force Davao is not true. It’s not true that we are disbanding Task Force Davao,” said Brawner in a video message.
Brawner said the military is even planning to establish more task forces in areas that need the military presence to maintain peace.
“There is no such thing as disbanding of the Task Force Davao even up to now…There is no such issuance of any directive for the disbanding of the Task Force Davao,” AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad told a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday.
Trinidad said the military was surprised why allegations on the abolition of the task force came out.
“Again, there is no such issuance of orders (for the deactivation of Task Force Davao),” he said, adding the deactivation and activation of military task forces depends on security threats.
The Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom), which has operational control over the Task Force Davao, said it has not received any instruction from higher headquarters to abolish the unit.
“There are no instructions whatsoever coming from higher headquarters to remove Task Force Davao from its present mandate,” said Eastmincom spokeswoman Col. Rosa Ma. Christina Rosete-Manuel.
Rosete-Manuel said the task force “has been effective in denying activities of terrorist threat groups and significantly maintained the peace, security, and development in Davao City.”
Meanwhile, the military said the recent visits of the AFP chief at various military camps in Mindanao has nothing to do with Duterte’s call for the separation of Mindanao from the Philippines.
AFP spokeswoman Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said the visits were merely meant to check on the military’s response to recent floodings.
Padilla said Brawner also wanted to be updated on the military operations against internal security threats.
She also said the visits were meant to commend the troops “for being loyal to the Constitution.”
Trinidad reiterated Brawner’s appeal to love the country and to remain united.
“We stand for the One Philippines. I think for that particular statement, its already clear what is the stand of the Armed Forces – One AFP, One Philippines, Strong AFP, Strong Philippines,” said Trinidad. — With Wendell Vigilia and Victor Reyes
