A LAWMAKER from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on Tuesday told proponents of the Mindanao secession not to use the proposal as a political slogan to express dismay over their personal circumstances or other political events.

In a press conference at the House of Representatives, Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, one of the members of Young Guns or a coalition of young and reform-minded legislators, bucked the calls of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and ex-Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez for Mindanao to secede from the Philippine Republic, saying it was an “insult” to the memory of those who died in the Moro struggle for self-determination.

“I guess my calling to our leaders, be more circumspect. We should not use independence or the issue of secession of Mindanao as a political slogan. We should not use that loosely in order to express our dismay politically,” Adiong said.

He said that the issue of secession has killed “more than a thousand great men,” and that it should not be loosely used to express frustration.

“Huwag ho natin gamitin ito na political slogan or tirahin because we are frustrated personally or politically sa mga nakaupong mga lider. Huwag po. Kasi it adds insult to the memory of those fallen and to the troops who have sacrificed their lives in order to protect the Philippines,” Adiong said.

“The least that we can do is to honor their memories and keep this country intact … So let’s put it to rest. We want to join the Philippines. We embrace unity and let’s support this administration’s call for unity,” he added.

He gave a brief history of the Moro struggle for the right to self-determination and self-governance, starting with the rebellion of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the secessionist movement of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), both of which ended in peace.

In opposing the proposal, Adiong said if there are people who have the “moral ascendancy” to call for the secession of Mindanao, it will be the Muslims or the citizens of BARMM who have fought for their right to self-governance and self-determination.

“Now, we have already the BARMM, and we had the ARMM … I am saying this because in so far as the call for secession is concerned, I think the Muslim community, minority Muslims in Mindanao, have the moral ascendancy to call for secession in the first place,” Adiong said.

“And this has already been accepted by the government even in the previous administration when former PRRD said that it’s time to correct the injustices committed against the Moro people. So we have that ascendancy, the moral ascendancy, to speak about and call for independence,” he added.

“But if you ask us, that issue is already settled. And there is no clamor for us to pursue independence,” Adiong said.

He said the Muslim community has altogether abandoned the call for independence and “have settled for genuine autonomy.”

“Because there is no way to move forward but to embrace national polity, join the mainstream Filipino society in order to progress, not only the Philippines but ultimately ourselves,” he said.

“I am the second generation of the Muslim minority in the country who have seen the brunt of war. I have seen it, I know the smell of a decomposing body. I know the sound of a gun. Kami po yung unang-unang magsasabing, tapos na po ‘yan because we want to move forward,” Adiong expressed.

Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson F. Khonghun, La Union 1st District Rep. Francisco Paolo P. Ortega V, and Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino “Inno” A. Dy V, also members of Young Guns who attended the press conference together with Deputy Speaker David “Jayjay” Suarez, called on Duterte and Alvarez to stop their calls for Mindanao secession.

“Sa opinyon ko, this is an issue of respect. Hindi naman po pwede na, may ayaw ka tapos ang gusto mo paghiwalayin na yung bansa,” Khonghun said.

“With all due respect, noong panahon ni Presidente Duterte, meron din namang mga opinyon na hindi sang-ayon ang mga tao, pero di naman dumating sa punto na tumatawag tayo ng maghihiwalay ang iba’t ibang parte ng ating bansa,” he added.

Khonghun said President Marcos has been doing his best to focus on Mindanao’s development, and so far his administration has been successful in bringing progress to the people.

“So sana respetuhin din natin ang administration ni Pangulong Marcos at magkaisa na lang tayo para hindi na tayo nagkakagulo-gulo,” he said.

“Talagang nakikita natin yung pagbabago sa Mindanao ngayong panahon na ito. Sana itigil na nila ‘yung panawagan tungkol sa paghihiwalay sa Mindanao,” he added.

Dy, meanwhile, said that the thought of Mindanao seceding is “worrisome and deeply saddening.”

“I just like to state na iisa tayong tao, iisa tayong bansa, iisa tayong Pilipinas … At this point in time, ngayong 2024 na po, napaka-progressive na ng ating bansa, kilala po tayo sa buong mundo … at ang liderato din po ng ating mahal na Pangulo,” said Dy.

“And just a call for seceding Mindanao or secession is really deeply saddening. So, I hope na appeal po sa ating mga leaders na tigilan na po natin ito. Isang-alang-alang po natin for the sake of our country, for the sake of unity,” he added.

For his part, Ortega said if the proponents of the Mindanao secession proposal were serious, this should have been the subject of an exhaustive study.

“Matagal na nandyan yung mga political actors na nagpupush for this. Bakit hindi po nasama sa pag-aaral dati? Hindi naman po natutukan,” he said.

He also supported President Marcos’ call for unity.

“The call of the President during the campaign was for us to be united, so standing by that gusto nya united ang Pilipinas, united ang Pilipino. Kasi pag walang, pag hindi tayo magkaisa, walang peace and order then pano uusbong itong ekonomiya natin?” Ortega said.

“Ang dami pa nating mabibigat na problema … Naipasa na po namin yung mga LEDAC priority measures, nakapasa na po lahat, kasi we see the urgency of the power of legislation na gawing mas maayos ang buhay ng mga tao,” he added.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ryan Ponce Pacpaco