House Majority Leader Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Mannix Dalipe (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

House Majority Leader Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Mannix Dalipe took a veiled shot at Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo Duterte as the ranking solon rejected the proposed separation of Mindanao from the Philippines. 

"So why, I don't see, right now we're good and I don't see any benefit for this country, for Mindanao to separate," Dalipe, a Mindanaoan, said in a press briefing Wednesday night, Feb. 1. 

Mindanao's separation was recently floated by former president Rodrigo Duterte, Rep. Duterte's father.

"That is their opinion. I don’t share the same idea. ayaw namin humiwalay (we don't want to separate from the country), unless... Ano paano, hindi ko nga maintindihan ang statement nila (And how, I actually can't understand their statement)," Dalipe said. 

He argued that it's disadvantageous for the southernmost islands to declare independence from the rest of the Philippines since their collective economy isn't so good. 

"OK lang siguro yung mga nakakuha na ng P51 billion na sa kanilang distrito o sa kanilang sIyudad. E paano naman yung mga wala pa, ihihiwalay nIyo na? So I disagree with them," added the majority leader in an apparent reference to a House colleague. 

(It would be OK for those districts or cities that received P51 billion. But what about those that didn't, would you have them separate already?)

READ THIS: 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/18/house-leader-99-sure-that-cong-duterte-s-district-got-p51-b-in-unprogrammed-funds 

Last week, House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co said he would look into reports that Rep. Duterte's district was allocated with a whopping P51 billion in unprogrammed funds during his father's term as president. 

“Sabagay, nung 18th Congress ay naririnig ko na yan, na napakalaking pondo ang na-release sa south, sa Mindanao, especially Davao, tawag daw diyan 'Holy Land'," Co said in a radio interview. 

(Come to think of it, even during the 18th Congress I've heard of it, there was this huge funds released to the south, in Mindanao, especially Davao, it's supposedly called the 'Holy Land'.)  

Dalipe insisted: "I still believe that we, it is of more benefit that Mindanao be part of this republic. Pag humiwalay siya, madidihado pa (If it separates then it will be placed at a disadvantage)." 

The elder Duterte was chief executive from 2016 to 2022. His son first became congressman in 2019.