By Brian Jules Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday firmly rejected calls for Mindanao secession, saying it is a “grave violation of the Constitution”.
“The new call for a separate Mindanao is doomed to fail, for it is anchored on a false premise, not to mention a sheer constitutional travesty,” President Marcos said in his speech during the commemoration of the Constitution Day in Makati City.
To recall, Marcos’ predecessor, former president Rodrigo Duterte, raised the idea of having an independent Mindanao which then attracted various opinions from politicians and citizens alike regarding the issue.
He added that even the political leaders from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and other parts of Mindanao are averse to the suggestion of separating the region from the entire country.
“Hindi ito ang ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ na ating hinuhubog bagkus ito ay pagwasak mismo sa ating bansang Pilipinas,” the President remarked.
He also said that the Charter calls for a “united, undivided country” as he noted that the law does not recognize the right to rebellion nor does it have an exit provision.
“I will not stand idly by, but rather, will proactively confront these issues head on. For it is my sworn duty as elected President to preserve and defend the Constitution, and also to ensure that laws, especially the fundamental law of the land, are faithfully executed,” the Chief Executive declared.
Meanwhile, the President has also expressed support to amend the 1987 Constitution but only to “economic matters alone” as the Philippine economy is expected to grow further by 6.5% to 7% this year.
“In any event, this administration is going to push hard to attract more foreign investments to significantly help us achieve our ambition of upper middle-class income status by 2025,” he added.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez welcomed the President’s statement to introduce reforms on the Constitution’s “restrictive” economic provisions and clarified that the House does not advocate any political amendments.
“The President made it clear that these provisions hinder the entry of foreign investments and the potential for faster and inclusive economic growth, which in turn could translate into a better life for every Filipino,” Speaker Romualdez said.
Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. hoped that they could finish the Charter reform within the term of the President and 19th Congress as it could be their “legacy”.
Rep. Gonzales likewise called on the Senate to finish its deliberations on Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri’s Resolution of Both Houses (RHB) No. 6 and pass it before the senator’s self-imposed timeline of adopting the RHB No. 6 before the Holy Week break.
“Palaging DOA ang adbokasyang ito pagdating sa Senado. Ngayon, dahil sa full support ng Pangulong Marcos, ito ay buhay at sana’y matapos namin kaagad ang inaasahang reporma sa Saligang Batas para sa kapakanan ng bansa at ng ating mga kababayan,” he added.
Quezon 2nd District Rep. David Suarez echoed the sentiments of his colleagues and urged the Senate to “act with dispatch” on the RHB No. 6.
“It is high time for the Senate to prove whether they are genuine partners in nation-building or mere obstructionists,” Rep. Suarez said. – avds
