Danao claims some politicians only taking advantage of youth protesters
MANILA, Philippines — Some politicians who allegedly want to destabilize the government are taking advantage of young people’s passion and decision to join rallies, if the Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge is to be believed.
In a press briefing on Monday morning, Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. was asked about his expectations as to whether or not more protests — like the one that happened last Wednesday’s proclamation of winning candidates — may happen under the term of the next president.
In response, Danao said that he is appealing to other losing candidates to call for unity and listen to the people’s decision in the last elections.
“Well ang sa akin no, mas nakikita ko na siguro ‘yong iba kasi dito mga kabataan eh, bugso ng ano ‘to eh, bugso ng damdamin eh. So they were just deceived, and this youthness from them were taken advantage by some people or some politicos who really wanted to destabilize the government,” he claimed.
(Well for me, I am tending to look at this on the side that most of the protesters are young people, maybe this is a sudden rush of emotions. So they were just deceived, and this youthness was taken advantage of by some people or some politicians who really wanted to destabilize the government.)
“Eh sana naman, sabi ko nga, nakiki-usap ako sa inyo, okay, lalong-lalo na sa ating mga natalong kandidato to please let us call for unity, the Filipino people have already spoken, and let the mandate of our majority prevail,” he added.
(I really hope, as I have said, I am calling on people especially the losing candidates to please let us call for unity, the Filipino people have already spoken, and let the mandate of our majority prevail.)
According to Danao, the country is already beset with so many problems that it might be best to exercise sobriety and let the winning candidates prove their worth.
“Bigyan po natin ng pagkakataon ang atin pong mga nanalong kandidato to prove their worth, so sana po eh hinahon, at pang-unawa ang ating pairalin,” he said.
(Let us give the winning candidates the chance to prove their worth, so I hope people would be calm and be more understanding.)
“Atin pong ipanawagan ang pagkakaisa ng buong Pilipino, masyado na po tayong nalugmok sa problema ng COVID, hindi pa po tayo gano’ng naka-recover, eh sana naman po bigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang ating mga nanalong kandidato,” he added.
(We are calling on the unity among all Filipinos, we have been so battered by problems like COVID, which we have not fully recovered from. I hope we give the winning candidates a chance.)
Danao’s statements came after he defended police officers from accusations that their actions during last Wednesday’s rally at the Liwasang Diokno of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) were an overkill, after protesters were allegedly subjected to violent dispersal methods.
The acting police chief said that the protesters were not water-cannoned, as they were only doused with water to stop them from marching towards Batasang Pambansa. Also, he said that the protesters were the ones who started the commotion.
READ: Anti-Marcos rally inside CHR compound turns violent amid dispersal by police
Danao said he hopes less people would be tempted to join rallies.
“‘Wag po tayong magpadala at ‘wag po tayong magpa-udyok no, sa pang-uudyok ng iba, ‘wag po tayong magpa-tempt, dahil alam naman po natin na these are, some of them, are politically-motivated,” he noted.
(Let us not be deceived and let us not fall to the urges of other people, refrain from being tempted as we know that these are, some of them, are politically-motivated.)
Last Wednesday, Congress proclaimed Marcos as president, as he got 31,629,783 votes, way ahead of closest competitor Vice President Leni Robredo with 15,035,773 votes. However, several progressive and opposition groups claimed that the elections were rigged, even if various groups have already said that the polls were clean.
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