Attacks on Marcos may fuel desertions

Former president Rodrigo Duterte speaks during the rally in Dumaguete City. FACEBOOK/PDP-LABAN PHOTO

BACOLOD CITY – Former president Rodrigo Duterte and his supporters turned a prayer rally in Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental into a protest against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Tuesday night, but administration allies on May 9 said these attacks could backfire on the outspoken leader.

To chants of “BBM resign,” speakers led by Duterte and others spoke from a truck with a sound system in the city’s Quezon Park.

In his speech, Duterte blasted Marcos as a “dismal failure” and urged Filipinos to resist calls for Charter change.

With the former president were his son, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez; former presidential spokesman Harry Roque; and Glen Chong, a former congressman from Biliran.

Dumaguete Mayor Felipe Remollo described the crowd as a “flash mob” made up of about 500 supporters who were bused in to attend the event.

“Four days before the rally, the organizers informed us that they have national personalities as guests. That would now be a political event. The city police advised me to withdraw the permit because it is not normal anymore, with the need for reinforcements and there is no time to coordinate,” Remollo said.

He added that the pastor who earlier applied for the permit for a prayer rally withdrew as organizer and a new person took over.

“I told them to apply for a new permit from the city, which they did not do. Then they applied for a permit at 5:30 p.m. on May 6 but they failed to comply with the required clearances. Nevertheless we allowed them to hold their rally at the city park,” he said.

Remollo said they followed a “maximum tolerance during the rally.”

Meanwhile, members of the dominant party in the House of Representatives and the President’s Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) said the former president’s attacks on Marcos could lead to “mass desertions” from his own party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) and his daughter’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP).

In a press conference May 9, House Deputy Majority Leader and Isabela Rep. Faustino Dy said members of the PDP and HNP who were uncomfortable with what was happening in their parties, and who supported President Marcos, could lead an exodus to the Lakas-CMD and the PFP.

“Possibly, members of the PDP or Hugpong who disagree with what is happening right now and would continue to support our President for unity are knocking on [the doors of] other parties now,” Dy said.

He added that negative politics should “not have a place” in the country, noting that the President wants to “transform the economy” amid the continuing recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre challenged PDP members to “choose” if they are for the country or would simply tolerate the language of their chairman, Duterte.

“We have a President that calls for unity, somebody who [is trying to] unite us. Anybody who wants to divide must be made accountable, whether politically or by whatever means,” Acidre said.

Despite the former president’s remarks, Acidre said he believes that some members of the PDP continue to support Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez, noting that PDP president and Palawan Rep. Jose Alvarez had declared that the former president’s statements were his own.

Assistant Majority Leader and Manila Rep. Ernesto Dionisio Jr. agreed, saying Marcos is considered a “unifying” leader.

“I hope that the members of the PDP, especially those who are with us in Congress, would support the President…. Let us be patriotic and not be interest-driven in politics,” Dionisio said.

House Assistant Majority Leader and La Union Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega V said President Marcos continues to do a commendable job, and noted the former president’s remarks were simply propaganda.