Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. implicitly criticized his predecessor for violating the constitution by calling for the secession of Mindanao island.
"Calls for secession for Mindanao are doomed to fail because they are based on false premises and are completely unconstitutional," Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared on February 8, in a speech marking Constitution Day in the capital Manila.
Mr. Marcos Jr. urged "all relevant parties to stop calling for the secession of Mindanao", but did not directly mention his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte.
“These ideas are not consistent with the new Philippine vision we are building. This proposal will destroy the country,” he stressed.
President Marcos Jr. said he had a duty to “preserve and protect the constitution,” and warned that he would not hesitate to use the law to deal with secessionist threats. He noted that leaders of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) had also publicly opposed calls for secession.
President Ferdinand Marcos attends the 61st anniversary of the Philippine Airborne Commando in Palayan on June 25, 2023. Photo: PNA
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said last week he was looking to help the island of Mindanao become “separate and independent.” He argued that the island had suffered from many disadvantages and failed to develop after many governments .
Duterte noted that the process of seceding Mindanao island from the Philippines must be "bloodless" and follow United Nations procedures.
Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano stressed on February 4 that the government in Manila will not hesitate to "use its authority and forces to crush and end any plot to divide the country."
A day later, the Philippine military leader warned that the country's armed forces were ready to act to protect the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty .
Duterte’s political alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. collapsed earlier this month over disagreements over constitutional amendments. President Marcos said the 1987 amendment was intended to reassure foreign investment, but Duterte said the decision was to keep Marcos in power.
Thanh Danh (According to Reuters, Manila Times )
Source link
Comment (0)