MANILA, Philippines- Inihayag nina Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. at Philippine National Police chief Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr. nitong Lunes ang oposisyon sa paghihiwalay ng Mindanao mula sa Pilipinas.
Sa isang press briefing, sinabi i Acorda na marami nang buhay ang naisakripisyo upang maitatag bilang bansa ang Pilipinas.
“These are all defined through our Constitution, iyong territory natin, iyong sovereignty natin. Kumbaga it’s not good na after all these sacrifices of our heroes and other kababayans and now that we are enjoying peace,” giit niya.
“If there are any efforts of secession or to secede a portion of our country parang hindi maganda and it will only entail…magulo. Ang pinakamaganda talaga diyan is let us be united and let us not entertain these ideas. After all, mapayapa naman tayo, tahimik naman tayo,” dagdag ng opisyal.
Sinabi naman ni Teodoro na pananatilihin ng Department of National Defense ang mandato nitong protektahan ang bansa at ang integridad ng national territory.
“The mandate of the DND is to secure the sovereignty of the State and integrity of the national territory as enshrined in the Constitution. We will strictly enforce this mandate whether externally or internally,” ani Teodoro.
Noong nakaraang linggo, pinalitaw ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang ideyang ihiwalay ang Mindanao mula sa Pilipinas sa pamamagitan ng proseso base sa pagkalap ng mga lagda.
Ani Duterte, unang isinulong ni Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez ang “desirability of Mindanao seceding from the Republic of the Philippines.
Ayon kay Alvarez, ikakasa ang paghihiwalay sa Mindanao sa pamamagitan ng signature campaign, katulad ng naunang kampanya upang amyendahan ang 1987 Constitution.
Nitong Linggo, sinabi ni National Security Council (NSC) na anumang pagsusulong ng secession ay tutuguan nang may “resolute force.”
“The National Government will not hesitate to use its authority and forces to quell and stop any and all attempts to dismember the Republic,” giit ni National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Año.
“Any attempt to secede any part of the Philippines will be met by the government with resolute force, as it remains steadfast in securing the sovereignty and integrity of the national territory,” patuloy ng NSC official. RNT/SA
