CEBU CITY, Philippines – With just over a week before the May 9 elections, a group of Cebuanos launched a last-ditch effort to stop a Rodrigo Duterte presidency.
The official launch of the Alliance Against Tyranny, Incompetence, and Greed (Astig) was held on Saturday, April 30, day after the Davao City mayor kept his lead in the latest nationwide survey among presidential candidates.
Explaining why they formed the group, Astig co-convener Noel Tabasa described the potential "dangers" of a Duterte presidency.
"We are against Rodrigo Duterte's candidacy for presidency because Duterte is a very dangerous man. He practically endangers the very Constitution that we have long fought for and we have established during the EDSA Revolution," Tabasa said.
He cited instances when the presidential candidate made careless statements about important issues.
"He (Duterte) said if he'll be impeached, if or when he is president, he will abolish Congress. He said he'll kill more than 100,000 people. That practically negates the judiciary. All the foundations of a democratic government and democracies, he will erase it, that's why we are against him," Tabasa said.
On Friday, Duterte said he would abolish Congress when reporters asked about his possible impeachment if he is elected president. This is in connection with his alleged failure to declare his Bank of the Philippine Islands bank account in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN). (READ: Trillanes to Duterte: Stop doing a Binay, sign waiver)
It was not the first time for the mayor to say he would abolish Congress if faced with an impeachment threat. He said this in a Rappler interview as early as October 2015.
Tabasa was arrested in the late 1970s for denouncing the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in a rally. He is also campaigning against the vice presidential bid of the latter's son, Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr, the current poll front-runner.
ASTIG is a one-week old coalition consisting of 4 youth groups, a multisectoral group, and about 30 small businessmen and professionals.
'Duterte's hypnosis'
ASTIG's formal launch coincided with its forum, "Duterte Exposed: Jolting us from Duterte's Hypnosis" on Saturday at the Cebu Business Hotel.
One of the 3 speakers was retired judge Meinrado Paredes, who challenged the supporters of Duterte to snap out of the "illusion" that a Duterte presidency is what the country needs.
Paredes, a detainee during the Marcos regime, called Duterte supporters "traitors to the cause of human rights" as they are backing the candidacy of someone hounded by allegations of human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings in his city.
He cited Duterte's apparent ties with the Communist Party of the Philippines through its founder, Jose Maria Sison, who had announced that communist rebels would observe a ceasefire with government forces if Duterte is elected president.
"This is my challenge to the left and to my former comrades. If you support Duterte and Sison and extra-judicial and enforced disappearances, atubangon tamo (Let's face each other), you are traitors to the cause of human rights. To the followers of Duterte, do not entertain the illusion that the coalition government between Duterte and Sison is good for the growth of the masses," the retired judge said.
"Cast away illusions and prepare for struggles," Paredes said.
Former Negros Occidental governor Rafael Coscolluela was also invited to speak at the forum.
ASTIG will hold a prayer rally on May 7, as part of its effort to stop a Duterte presidency.
The coalition was formed around the same time Duterte's PDP-Laban sealed an alliance with One Cebu led by the Garcia Family. The family assured him one million votes in Cebu. – Rappler.com
Richale Cabauatan is a Rappler intern