MENDIOLA RALLY Hundreds of cheering followers of President Duterte appear on Don Chino
Roces Bridge (formerly Mendiola Bridge) in Manila to show their support for a revolutionary
government.Malacañang, however, has distanced itself from their cause. —LYN RILLON
Allies of President Duterte pushing for the revolutionary government should be punished as it is an “illegal act,” Senator Franklin Drilon said on Friday.
“Alam nila na ito’y bawal sa ating Saligang-Batas ngunit hinayaan lang nila dahil pawang mga kaalyado nila ang nasa likod nito,” Drilon said.
Earlier Drilon and other Liberal Party (LP) senators challenged the Duterte administration to hold accountable its allies if it is really serious in its campaign to clean the government ranks.
For his part, Senator Bam Aquino said the Department of Justice (DOJ) should also hold liable the two former associate commissioners of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) who allegedly received P50-million bribe from Chinese tycoon Jack Lam to escape plunder charges by downgrading the case to graft and direct bribery.
“Ayaw nating isipin na dahil appointee ni Pangulong Duterte ang dalawang ito kaya nakalusot sa kaso ngunit hindi maiwasan dahil napapadalas na ang ganitong mga isyu,” said Aquino.
Former Bureau of Customs (BOC) commissioner and other key BOC officials should also be included in the charges over the P6.4-billion shipment of shabu into the country, said the opposition senators.
“If the Duterte government is serious about accountability, it should also pursue those behind the push for a revolutionary government and the entry of P6.4-billion worth of shabu into the country,” the LP senators said.