DU30 no plan for nationwide ML – Palace
MANILA — Almost two weeks after President Rodrigo Duterte warned that he would declare martial law nationwide if communist rebels stage rebellion on the streets, Malacañang yesterday, during the anniversary of the Marcos dictatorship, said the chief executive wasn’t planning anything similar to what the late strongman did 45 years ago.
Again and again, inulit niya hindi iyan ang patutunguhan natin [he repeated that it’s not where we are going],” said presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella during an interview with GMA-7.
Abella clarified that what Duterte said earlier was just a warning and not a plan.
“(A)ng sinabi lang… huwag lang malaglag…sa violence and the destruction of property. Pero kung sinasasabi pinaplano iyong martial law, hindi po.”
Last September 9, Duterte warned communists that he would impose martial law throughout the country and have them arrested if they would wage rebellion and the uprising would reach the streets.
“I just let them do what they want to do but do not commit the mistake. I am not trying to scare you. Do not commit a mistake of staging a rebellion, where there’s a fighting on the streets,” the President said.
“I will not hesitate to impose martial law all throughout the country and order the arrest of everybody,” he added.
On Thursday, Abella said Duterte is in fact a unifying and not a divisive leader as he has been trying to “to reach out to just about everybody, left to right” of the political spectrum.
“And again he started out with having a rainbow Cabinet…including left, including right, top, bottom,” he said.
“So, sa simula’t sapul po ang [From the very beginning, the] President had been very very inclusive…damang dama po ng Presidente ang hinaing ng tao [He really feels the people’s sufferings]. And again…especially he is against…corruption crime and iyong pag-aabuso [and abuse],” added Abella.
Meanwhile, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi yesterday claimed that no government funds were used for the staging of a pro-Duterte rally at Plaza Miranda.
"Sigurado walang government funds ito. Garantisado," Cusi told reporters on the sideline of a pro-Duterte rally in Plaza Miranda.
Cusi said the rally was an opportunity for public to express their support for the Duterte adminisitration.
"Ang tawag dito ay araw ng paghahayag. Binibigyan lang natin ng venue yung mga tao na maghayag ng kanilang paniniwala at kanilang damdamin... at sumusuporta sa mga programa at adbokasya ng ating pangulo, ng ating pamahalaan kaya sinasabi natin ang federalism at yung no to drugs, no to criminality, no to corruption," Cusi said.
(InterAksyon.com and GMANews.com)