Visayas groups weigh in on Marcos, Duterte rift

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former President Rodrigo Duterte

TAGBILARAN CITY — Different sectors in the Visayas have expressed varied reactions to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s tirades against President Marcos, saying a political showdown is looming at the expense of the public.

Activist youth group Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan (Spark) on Monday accused both President Marcos and Duterte factions of “opportunistically using the Filipino people in their squabble for political influence.”

“The Marcos and Duterte factions are two sides of the same coin, both orchestrating public spectacles, mobilizing even government employees and barangay workers, to fool us into thinking that they have the public’s support—a time-worn act used by all post-war elitist regimes,” said John Lazaro, Spark national coordinator, in a statement.

“What we are now witnessing are competing factions of the same opportunist and self-serving brand of governance. One section rabidly pushed for Cha-Cha, coveting term extensions to secure political power. While another claiming to be the opposition, is against Cha-Cha because they want to sit on the throne in the Palace,” he added.

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Spark is an association of young adults and minors that aims to forward a free and just society, in particular the protection of the rights and welfare of the youth and minors.

Spark called on the general public to reject both self-serving factions and to advance their own interests of food, higher wages, social services, good governance and progressive peace.

“Once we push for our interests, politicians by their own innate characteristics cannot help but reveal that they are merely wolves in sheep’s clothing,” the group said.

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez described the development as a looming “political showdown.”

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Benitez and his son, Victorias Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez, attended the “Bagong Pilipinas” launching in Manila on Sunday.

The Victorias mayor said the “Bagong Pilipinas” is a much-needed move

“Our country needs to improve. We really need to find ways to speed up development and it should start from the government,” he said.

Javier said he was surprised after the call of Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte for President Marcos to resign.

READ: More rebranding: Marcos unveils ‘Bagong Pilipinas’

“I didn’t expect it from him. But in a democracy everyone is free to say what they want to,” he said.

“We should give the president a chance. It’s only been a year and half and the expectations are high. We really need to be unified at this point. The president and his entire team are really doing their best to bring development to the country,” he added.

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the call of Mayor Duterte for President Marcos to resign was a personal observation.

“Many are still also supporting this present administration. In fact, we should always give the incumbent administration the opportunity to do service to the Filipino,” he said.

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“We should not give the impression that the country is now divided because if that happens, automatic business opportunities will just close their doors,” he added.

The Marcos camp held a rally at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila to launch the so-called “Bagong Pilipinas” on Sunday night while the Duterte camp held the “One Nation, One Opposition” prayer rally “against Charter Change through people’s initiative” in Davao City.

Mayor Duterte dared Marcos Jr. to resign during his speech.

He even reminded Marcos that it was his father who granted the long-standing wish of the Marcos clan to give the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. a hero’s burial.