MANILA, Philippines — The Duterte administration is the one destabilizing itself by its failure to stem the rising prices of basic commodities and ensure a stable supply of rice while flouting the rule of law, Sen. Francis Pangilinan said yesterday.
“The opposition does not have to do anything. On its own, either by its incompetence or corruption, the government is doing a good job of destabilizing itself,” he declared.
Pangilinan, Liberal Party president, described Duterte’s accusation of the opposition causing destabilization as “downright false” and “ridiculous,” adding that his party is committed to adhering to constitutional processes in pushing for its advocacies and does not believe that ousting the country’s leaders would address urgent problems.
“We already ousted presidents twice. If that was the solution to our problems, we should be a first world country by now,” he pointed out.
The lawmaker stressed that all Malacañang has to do to address the current inflation woes is to listen to its own allies who, like the opposition, are calling for the resignation of officials of the Department of Agriculture and the National Food Authority for causing the rice crisis.
He added that instead of throwing baseless accusations at LP and the opposition, the government should listen to the cry of the people and focus on rising prices of goods and lack of jobs that would sufficiently provide for the average Filipino family.
Vice President Leni Robredo also debunked yesterday Duterte’s accusation that the LP, which she chairs, is part of an alleged plot to oust him.
“We have no connection with the Communist Party of the Philippines, we don’t have any kind of conversation with them. We know the role of the CPP in our society—they exist independently of any political party. We have different beliefs,” Robredo said.
Duterte’s accusations came after LP officials, including Robredo, expressed their support for Trillanes, whose amnesty was nullified by the President through Proclamation 572 signed on Aug. 31.
Robredo maintained the revocation of Trillanes’ amnesty “is clearly an attempt to silence the opposition.”
“For me, whoever is the victim of abuse of power, we are one with him,” said Robredo who visited Trillanes last Thursday at the Senate, where he has been staying after the proclamation was issued.
The President in a speech in Davao on Saturday said a supposed oust Duterte movement “will go into a high gear” next month.
Robredo lamented that the LP had been the usual whipping boy of the administration to deflect the blame for its “incompetencies.”
“It’s like blaming US President Donald Trump for the weakening economy. The Liberal Party is always the one to blame for all the shortcomings of this administration. I think this is not right,” she said. – Helen Flores