Senatorial aspirant Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III on Saturday questioned the rationale behind the President’s issuance of Memorandum Order (MO) No. 32, saying the only “state of lawless violence” is government turning a “blind eye” on Filipinos suffering from inflation and the lack of affordable rice from the National Food Authority (NFA).
“Something is very wrong with inflation, the massacre that is the TRAIN [Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion] Law implementation, and the uncertainty in jobs and livelihood especially in the countryside,” he said in a statement.
“But that is not lawless violence among the people; that is lawless violence in government, as it turns a blind eye and deaf ears to its people,” he added.
Tañada made the remark following the order of President Rodrigo Duterte to deploy additional troops to Bicol, Samar, Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental to suppress “sporadic acts of violence” allegedly committed by lawless groups.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea signed Memorandum Order No. 32 last Thursday, calling for the deployment of the supplementary state forces.
READ: Duterte sends more troops in Bicol, Samar, Negros vs ‘lawless violence’
“What was not serene was the 10 percent inflation in Bicol and the telling absence of NFA rice from the markets of these provinces. The poor people are hardest-hit. That to me, was the only ‘state of lawless violence,” Tañada said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Tañada also raised his concern on the President’s health, saying the Chief Executive might not be well enough to sign the document.
“The MO 32 issued through the Executive Secretary adds fuel to our gnawing fears about the real state of the health of the President. Is the President not well enough to sign the order himself?” he said. /muf