On Friday, progressive groups in Davao City stage a picket and rally along San Pedro street calling for a clean and credible election on May 9, 2016. (Earl O. Condeza/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY – Anticipating massive fraud and violence, progressive groups urged voters to be vigilant and to join their assembly at the Rizal Park on Monday, May 9 after voting in the national and local elections.
During a picket rally Friday, Duazo said “the people are fed up with the Aquino government.”
“They want a change in leadership and in the system. They must prepare themselves for the worst possible outcome of the upcoming elections,” she said.
Duazo added that the administration of President Benigno Aquino III “is already despised by the majority of the Filipino people, that is why it will be impossible for [Manuel] Roxas to win in the upcoming elections.”
Malacañang on Saturday urged voters to reflect on their candidates before the elections.
Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Undersecretary Manuel Quezon III said: “Let us ask ourselves if our candidate is truly the best we Filipinos can offer. On Monday, our choice will tell the world who we are as a people.”
“Do we want a leader who represents the best in us—a nation of decent, hardworking individuals — or do we want one whose popularity is fuelled by fear, hate, ignorance, and disrespect for the law?”
On Sunday, May 8, Malacañang said that it was saddened after Presidential bet Senator Grace Poe rejected the offer of Roxas to join forces with him against Duterte.
“Ang malungkot dito is that Senator Poe does not seem to have put much thought into a very serious question, a very momentous appeal,” Quezon said.
Quezon added that the Senator “had closed the door for the discussion on a potential team up.”
Ganged up
The foiled unity was meant to defeat the presidential frontrunner, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who said on Saturday that his critics are ganging up on him.
Duterte denied that he will declare Martial Law dictatorship, but said that he is ready to enforce a revolutionary government if his rivals will resort to alleged mutiny against him.
“Sabi nila mag-Martial Law si Duterte, I won’t do it. Sinabi ko lang, pag kayo dyan magmutiny mutiny ay talagang mag revolutionary government ako. Because you destroy government, I have to protect it (They say I will declare Martial Law, I won’t do it. I only said that if you will launch a mutiny I will really declare a revolutionary government),” he said.
“Anong Martial Law? Kausapin ko nga yung lahat eh, MI, MN pati NPA. So what’s Martial Law for? (What Martial Law? I would even want to talk to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Moro National Liberation Front and the New People’s Army),” he said.
He said that he never included the said groups in his fight against criminality and drugs because they are fighting against “historical injustice”.
“But you have noticed I never included sa criminality sa drugs itong tatlo, why? Because sa Mindanao talagang totoo yan, historical injustice,” Duterte said.
He said so long as there is injustice, the Left will remain.
“The cure for all these things, is you build a society and a government that is responsive to the needs of society,” he said.
He said Roxas and President Aquino are “promoting hate and division in the people.”
“Para bang sila na lang ang partido nila that is all that matters in this world. Ako sabi ko I will not die if I don’t become the president. Pero itong mga to, see how they are trying to promote divisiveness in this country (It’s as if their Party is the all that matters in this world. I said I will not die if I don’t become the president. But these people, see how they are trying to promote divisiveness in this country),” he said.
Desperate
“President Aquino, who campaigns for Mar Roxas is using the government’s resources on their campaigns,” Duazo said.
Duazo said that Aquino administration is using government funds through the Department of Agriculture and using the Conditional Cash Transfer in vote buying.
The latest BusinessWorld – Social Weather Station (SWS) pre-election survey of 4,500 voter respondents conducted from May 1 to May 3 showed Mayor Duterte’s topping the survey at 33 percent. He was followed by Senator Poe with 22 percent; Roxas placed third with 20 percent and Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago who got 13 percent and 2 percent, respectively.
This result, according to Duazo, showed Duterte’s popularity among the Filipino masses which resulted to “Aquino, Roxas, Liberal Party and Trillanes are trying their best to malign” the mayor.
The three, including the Liberal Party, “are the representatives of the ruling class in thwarting the will of the Filipino people on the upcoming election,” Duazo said. She calls on the people to “stay vigilant and act together in defending against the Aquino administration.”
If cheating happens, Duazo said that there will “definitely be a people’s protest akin to the People’s Power uprising.” (davaotoday.com)
