House Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Arlene Brosas slammed the opposing rallies held by the Marcos and Duterte camps on Sunday, Jan. 28.
The two events, which happened simultaneously, have fueled the recent word war between the former UniTeam coalition.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the so-called ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ kick-off rally at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, where he launched his new brand of governance. His government asserts, “Bagong Pilipinas” will pave the way for a shored-up Philippine economy that would create more jobs and opportunities for Filipinos.
In his speech, Marcos Jr. said the “Bagong Pilipinas” is not a political game plan that caters to the personal interests of the privileged few.
Meanwhile, the camp of former President Rodrigo Duterte also led the Hakbang ng Maisug (Steps of the Brave) Prayer Rally in Davao which appeared to be an anti-charter change event.
Here, Duterte attacked his former ally Marcos Jr. – even accusing the latter of being a drug addict. Duterte is the brain of the bloody drug war which has killed thousands of people, mostly urban poor.
Duterte’s son, Davao City Mayor Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte, also called for the resignation of the current president.
It can be remembered that the younger Duterte was flagged by the House of Representatives for having the highest fund allocated for a district in the country’s history – a staggering P51-billion during his father’s presidential term.
Amid the growing rift, Brosas asserts that Filipinos are bearing the brunt of the ongoing political play.
‘Conflicting political ambitions’
For Brosas, the ongoing hot war by Marcos-Duterte is “a disgusting display of conflicting political ambitions which left the people’s urgent demands in the gutter.”
“These politicians stay silent when the people are calling for aid, but when their power is at risk, they have the guts to use public funds for these kinds of expensive gimmicks,” Brosas added.
The lawmaker also stressed how the two camps, despite holding the highest positions in the government, did not even address pressing issues in the country, including the surging prices of basic necessities and the looming transport crisis.
“What is the sense and importance of these gimmicks if the government officials cannot solve even the hunger of the Filipinos?” asked Brosas.
She also pointed out how the US and China have a hand in the growing power struggle between the Marcos and Duterte political clans.
“President Marcos Jr. aligning with the US and Duterte showing loyalty to China highlights a conflict where political leaders are vying for the opportunity to exploit our resources with different foreign powers,” Brosas said.
“This underscores the significance of Charter Change in the entire scenario. During his term, Duterte advocated for 100% foreign ownership favoring China, while Marcos Jr. shared a similar stance, supporting 100% foreign ownership but with a preference for the US,” she added.
The lady solon asserted that the growing dispute within the Marcos Administration should be taken advantage of by the people, more than ever, to stop the ongoing push to change the 1987 Constitution.
“It is clear that all of these policies and campaigns are only for foreign interests and not for the people. This is why Filipinos should reject the Charter Change, and hold accountable the officials who neglect the demands of the masses,” Brosas said.
