No to Mindanao separation, reiterates Galvez

FILE PHOTO: Presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. during a Senate hearing on Monday, February 6, 2023. Galvez reiterated his rejection of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s proposal to separate Mindanao from the rest of the country during a Senate committee hearing on national defense and security, peace, unification, and reconciliation on Tuesday, February 6, 2024. (File photo from the Senate Public Relations Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. on Tuesday maintained his rejection of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s proposal to separate Mindanao from the rest of the country.

During a Senate committee hearing on national defense and security, peace, unification, and reconciliation, Galvez said any secessionist movement from Duterte would negatively affect establishing peace in Mindanao.

“That move will really affect the comprehensive peace process,” noted Galvez, who also served as COVID-19 policies chief implementer and peace adviser of then President Duterte.

READ: Reject Duterte’s call for independent Mindanao, Galvez tells public

Galvez earlier cautioned that Duterte’s proposal might derail the peace process, including the Bangsamoro autonomy that helped end the decades-long conflict in Mindanao.

At the Senate hearing, he further said that the Bangsamoro people do not heed the former chief executive’s call.

“We were very thankful that we were able to rally the support of the Bangsamoro people wherein they are not with this movement and [that] they will abide by the agreement with the government,” Galvez, who was also an Armed Forces of the Philippines chief during the Duterte administration, told the Senate committee.

READ: Panelo on use of force vs ex-President Duterte: ‘You’re overacting too much!’

Duterte saw the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao as he signed the Bangsamoro Organic Law in 2018, which gave more control over resources and political power to the new Bangsamoro government, strengthening the autonomy of the region.

But during a press conference on January 31, Duterte said he would want a “separate and independent Mindanao” as nothing happened to the island “after so many presidents.”