DESPITE political tensions between the Duterte and Marcos families, former president Rodrigo Duterte firmly rejected supporting any "uprising."
In a press conference on November 25, Duterte acknowledged that the country is currently under a "fractured" government under President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
He also noted that the Philippines could be heading toward martial law, drawing parallels with the period under Marcos Sr.
This came amidst growing calls from some Duterte supporters for a People Power Revolution, sparked by the ongoing investigation into the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) confidential funds. OVP Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez, cited in contempt by a House committee, had been detained over alleged interference during the inquiry.
Lopez was originally scheduled to be transferred from the House of Representatives detention facility to the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City. However, she was instead taken to the hospital after suddenly falling ill.
Vice President Sara Duterte defended Lopez, calling her extended detention “illegal” and arguing that only the president has the authority to approve the resignations of appointed officials. She emphasized that Lopez should not be punished for something she didn’t do.
The House panel cited Lopez for contempt, citing her failure to observe due process when she ordered the relief of former Education Undersecretary Gloria Mercado.
Sara pointed out that the approval of appointed officials' resignations rests with the chief executive, in this case, President Marcos.
The former president also voiced concern over the government’s financial mismanagement, claiming the country is suffering from a "hemorrhage" due to taxpayer funds being misused. He criticized government aid programs, claiming funds were being squandered by figures like House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Duterte stressed that while he disagrees with the government, he is not advocating for a coup. He challenged the military to act if they believed the government was oppressing the people, saying they should hold the administration accountable. However, he emphasized he is not calling for the government’s overthrow and will not participate in any uprising.
"No, no, no. Leave me out. Ako, basta kung may ganong uprising, sinabi ko na sa kanila 'I'm out.' wala akong partisipasyon. No nothing (No, no, no. Leave me out. As for me, if there’s such an uprising, I’ve already told them, 'I'm out.' I have no participation. Nothing at all)," he said, urging his supporters to stay calm and avoid further political unrest. RGL with reports from SNS
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