Former President Rodrigo Duterte revealed that there could be moves to push for the separation of Mindanao from the Philippines as the Marcos administration seeks to amend the 1987 constitution through a people’s initiative.
Duterte said the move to separate Mindanao will not be bloody but would follow the processes the established by the United Nations.
“It is not rebellion, not a bloody one, but we will follow the process provided by the UN to gather signatures, verify these under oath and with the presence of other witnesses signify that the people want to separate from the country,” said Duterte.
The former president also said that Davao Representative Pantaleon Alvarez would lead the move to separate Mindanao from the Philippines.
“Mindanao would rather be independent since nothing has happened in the Philippines after so many president. Whatever we do there will be another lousy president,” said Duterte.
Duterte also sees this proposal as part of his response to the drug war probe of the International Criminal Court.
“If there will be a separate Mindanao Republic, it could no longer enter Mindanao because Alvarez here will hide me,” said Duterte.
