MANILA, Philippines (Updated 4:38 p.m.) — Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Thursday Congress would not be pressured to approve a proposed shift to a federal system despite Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari’s reported threat to go to war if moves to overhaul the 1987 Constitution are dropped.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday night said Misuari told him that he would declare a war if the shift to federalism does not push through.

Related Stories Duterte claims Misuari threatened war if federalism is dropped

In a press conference, Sotto said Misuari should negotiate with the government instead of issuing threats.

“Well, there are two perspectives to that particular statement. One, I wonder if there is a law against threatening the government, research natin. Pangalawa, does he even know what kind of federalism he wants? Why are we going to jump into something because a citizen of the country says he wants this or that? Hindi ganon kadali ‘yon eh. Pinaga-aralan ‘yon eh,” Sotto said.

"Once you touch the Constitution, you can't repeal it just like that. You can repeal a law easily, but to change the Constitution just because one man says so? I don’t think we should [give] a lot of weight [to Misuari's threat],” he added.

Westmincom: We respect Misuari's freedom of expression

The military's Western Mindanao Command said it understands Misuari's supposed threat may have been an expression of frustration, but also said it is ready to act if the MNLF founder's threat materializes.

"Everyone has the right to express themselves. If the president can tolerate it why can’t we? Right?” said Col. Gerry Besana, Westmincom spokesperson, when asked for comment.

"For as long as there is no commission of a violent act, then there is no problem," he said.

He said the military is in close touch with the MNLF, which signed a final peace agreement with the government in 1996, and said he does not think the rebel group will resort to violence.

"Napapagod din ang AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines). We are just humans. the same is true with the MNLF forces and most of the commanders on the ground are not bent on going to war again," Besana said.

An MNLF faction associated with Misuari laid siege to Zamboanga City in 2013.

Besana said MNLF forces in Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, and even those in Zamboanga Peninsula, Central Mindanao and Palawan would prefer to talk and discuss peace and development measures.

“They (leaders) would prefer to talk and discuss rather prefer to talk and discuss rather than fighting out using the barrel of gun,” Besana said. “We are not holding the feelings of the leader [against him] because, of course, we understand his frustration.”

“We understand the dreams and determination of the MNLF forces. If the talks will be continuous, like in the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) the discussion is ongoing, we can come up with a better alternative for what we have during the term of ‘Maas’ (Tausug term for old man) before,” Besana said.

The military, however, is not discounting the potential threat that Misuari poses.

"We know he is capable of doing it. But if he will do it again it will be another case. We have to understand we are in Martial Law in Mindanao. If any act of violence will be committed there will be corresponding action or contingency that is prepared by the military,” Besana said.

Gutoc: Matter of language

Samir Gutoc, a former member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, said that Misuari's statement may have been the MNLF founding chairman's way of showing support for Duterte.

She said, though, that as someone from Marawi who has experienced the hardships of war, this kind of "posturing" should stop.

"I know that the Chairman does not mean a physical war. Sometimes he only expresses his feelings and sentiments through this kind of language. It might also be just a political strategy to show his support for President Duterte,” Gutoc, a recent United Nations Development Programme N-Peace winner, said.

She said she hopes Misuari keeps in mind the peace award he was given decades ago for going into peace talks with the government.

"I know that he still believes in peaceful means," she said.

Federalism shift

In hundreds of hours of speeches, Duterte has boldly declared the Philippines must revamp the 1987 Constitution and shift to a federal system of government to address the country's widening wealth gap and empower regional governments.

A Pulse Asia poll conducted in June 2017 suggested that 67 percent of Filipinos are not in favor of amending the 1987 Constitution while 62 percent are against the proposed shift to a federal system of government.

Misuari has returned from attending the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's 48th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Abu Dhabi and the 14th session of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC in Rabat earlier this month.

Anti-graft court Sandiganbayan had allowed the MNLF founding chairman, who is facing graft and rebellion charges, to leave the country.

The final peace agreement that the government and the MNLF signed in 1996 led to the creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, of which Misuari was the first regional governor. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral with a report from The STAR/Roel Pareño in Zamboanga City