Former President Rodrigo Duterte attends the "Salamat PRRD" thanksgiving concert at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on June 26, 2022. Karl Alonzo, Presidential Photo/File

MANILA — Former President Rodrigo Duterte's initiative to "separate" Mindanao from the Philippines is "practically impossible" at this point, the former president of Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) said Thursday, citing the lack of both domestic and international legal framework for such pursuit.

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"Maybe that's his wish or desire but at this point, it's practically impossible to do that," former IBP president Domingo Cayosa said.

Duterte earlier this week floated the idea of seceding Mindanao and said he has already tasked Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez to gather signatures for their advocacy, citing a supposed "UN process."

But Cayosa said "secession is not even a clearly defined or uniformally recognized right."

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"So kahit dudulog sila don, sinasabi nila may procedure sa UN, wala po. Self determination medyo kinikilala but not secession... Because secession at this point in international law is a matter of domestic determination, hindi po yan papakialaman ng ibang bansa," he explained.

Cayosa also believes that Duterte and his group would have a difficult time getting the support of most Filipinos for their advocacy.

"Even if theoretically buong Mindanao mapapirma nila, you would still need the cooperation of all the other provinces and district of this country... Pagbobotohan pa rin natin yan bilang isang bansa. Eh sino namang Pilipino na papayagang ma-dismember ang ating bansa?" he said.

He likened Duterte's efforts to a "people's initiative," which only allows minor revisions in the Constitution. 

"Based on jurisprudence, pag people's initiative, minor changes lang hindi yung revision or substantial or pagpapalit ng porma ng gobyerno at iba pa."

However, Cayosa said Duterte's latest pronouncement does not fall under the crime of rebellion.

"Hindi naman sapagka't yung insurrection, rebellion, is a public call and using force. Dito naman sinabi naman niya na magpapa-pirma lang kami. Hindi ito violation ng revised penal code, hindi naman krimen," he said.

 "It's just an exercise of your democratic right to express your sentiment. Everybody is entitled to do that... Libreng mangarap, libreng managinip," Cayosa added.

Duterte, the first Mindanaoan president, earlier explained that the lack of development in the island drove him to revive the push to separate it from the entire nation.

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