FORMER Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Atty. Salvador Panelo believes that the current leaders in government are the ones saying that the pro-Duterte Group ‘Maisug’ aims to destabilize the Marcos Jr. administration.
“The ones saying that are the leaders [in government] but those in the rank and file, they know [former] President Duterte. They love him. They know that. They’re just not saying anything. The PNP (Philippine National Police) chief, chief of staff of the Armed Forces, President Marcos Jr, the speaker – they are the ones saying that but those in the rank and file, they know [former] President Duterte,” according to Atty. Salvador ‘Sal’ Panelo, Former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel.
Currently, there’s information circulating that the Maisug rallies are part of efforts to destabilize the Marcos Jr. administration.
But is this the real objective of Maisug?
“We have sentiments. We’re not mad at Marcos. We’re not mad at the government. There are sentiments that we are letting out.
But this would be as good as any other time to tell the president, the military, the police that we are not subversive, wanting to overthrow the government, oust Marcos. We just want reforms that what you hear from the Maisug group and the Filipinos who don’t want trouble but change. That’s all and congratulations to all of you. That’s all I’m after and that’s all I’m after from the government. Nothing else. No one is interested in ousting Marcos (Jr). No one is interested in overthrowing the government,” stated Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Former President, Republic of the Philippines.
This is what former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte clarified in his recorded video message that was shown to the public Monday, June 17th. This was after failing to personally attend the Maisug Rally in Pampanga.
It can be remembered that Maisug gatherings were literally ‘blocked’ several times.
Are these signs of insecurities?
And if that is the case, can we blame the government?
The message that the public is trying to get across is loud and clear.
And there’s a saying that “words speak for itself”.
These can be seen in the placards that people have been holding up in recent rallies.
Groups such as ‘Marcos Alis Diyan’ and ‘Marcos Resign Movement’ have also been established as a result of the government’s failure to listen to the sentiments and complaints of the public.
That is why former President Duterte is reminding the government to give the public the chance to be heard and that the people’s right to air their sentiments should not be taken away.
As part of the process of democracy, it is the government’s responsibility to respond and be sensitive to the concerns of the public.
“We will ask that we will be heard from time to time so that government would know what the sentiments of the people. You just have to listen,” stated FPRRD.
