Philippine defence chief vows to protect sovereignty amid secession threats

FILE PHOTO: The Philippines' Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro arrives to attend the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) in Jakarta, Indonesia, November 15, 2023. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/Pool/File Photo

MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines' defence minister on Monday vowed to "strictly enforce" the country's sovereignty, joining the chorus of security officials pledging to defend the nation following secessionist threats made by former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte on Jan. 30 called for the independence of his hometown island Mindanao in the southern Philippines as his alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr disintegrated last week over disagreements around efforts to amend the constitution.