Duterte using cops, soldiers for power grab – Bayan

The military and the police should not allow themselves to be used by former president Rodrigo Duterte in his desire to grab power by ousting President Marcos, causeoriented group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said yesterday.

Bayan secretary general Raymond Palatino said Duterte is aggressively making noise in various platforms to incite the uniformed services to take action and oppose the efforts of the Marcos administration to amend provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

He warned Duterte has become more rabid as he minced no words in provoking security forces by raising the evil motives of Charter change (Cha-cha) proponents.

“And if his recent rhetoric agitating state troops reflects his state of mind, it compels us to categorically state that we will oppose a Duterte-led power grab,” Palatino said in a statement.

He stressed that Duterte has no credibility to speak out against Cha-cha as he also espoused federalism during his presidency. “As he had only selfish reasons for pushing Cha-cha then, he has selfish reasons for opposing it now.”

Palatino claimed that the former president is creating noise to ensure his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, becomes the country’s next chief executive in 2028.

He urged democratic forces to fight the corruption, tyranny and puppetry to imperialism of the Marcos and Duterte factions.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Free Workers Women Network (FWN) is opposing Duterte’s call for the secession of Mindanao from the Philippines.

FWN president Victoria Bellosillo said Duterte’s suggestion is “insane” and would do more harm than good for Filipinos.

“Duterte’s statement is revolting as he is killing once more those soldiers who died and sacrificed their lives to make this country united and whole,” Bellosillo noted. “The former president is undermining the decades of peace efforts and the sacrifices of our soldiers and other women and men who have tirelessly worked to maintain the nation’s territorial integrity.”

Bellosillo said workers are strongly against Cha-cha, including the people’s initiative.

The labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) also called on the government to address unemployment in the country, instead of pushing for Cha-cha.

PM noted that thousands of workers at the Mactan Economic Zone in Lapu-Lapu City and other parts of the country have lost their jobs.

“Implement, not amend, the Constitution to make life better for workers. Enforce the social justice provisions of the Constitution.