A renewed call for a separate Mindanao has been met with skepticism from lawmakers and a former top Supreme Court magistrate, who branded the idea as ‘foolishness’.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte revived the proposal during a news conference in Davao City, citing the region’s abundant resources and its ability to survive without national government support.
However, several lawmakers rejected the call, including Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III and Senator Francis Escudero. They argued that separating Mindanao from the rest of the country would threaten the nation’s integrity and territorial unity.
Former Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio echoed this sentiment, stating that the idea is against the 1987 Constitution and would undermine the region’s autonomy within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
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