PDP-Laban won’t fuel fire between Dutertes, Marcoses

CEBU, Philippines — Officials of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) have agreed not to do anything that would aggravate the situation between the two powerful political families in the country today.

Cebu City Mayor Rama, PDP-Laban vice president for the Visayas, said that their party president, Palawan Rep. Jose Alvarez, agreed with him not to add more fuel to the fire. Alvarez visited Rama at the Cebu City Hall yesterday.

Rama said he told Alvarez about his stand on the issue and that he wants them in the party to help in resolving the controversy rather than making things worse.

“Nibisita nako si PDP Laban President Alvarez this morning, and we are one…Him and me, the vice president for the Visayas, we should not be adding fuel to fire…but rather, we should be a solution,” Rama said.

The rift between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former president Rodrigo Duterte stemmed from the former’s perceived approval of the entry of international human rights investigators against the latter’s war on drugs.

The situation escalated when Duterte opposed the initiative to amend the constitution by collecting signatures from the people. The so-called people’s initiative to amend the constitution is perceived to have been orchestrated by presidential cousin and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Romualdez, however, denied any involvement in the signature campaign to amend the charter. Recently, Marcos and Duterte had been trading barbs and serious allegations, including alleged drug use.

Rama believes that the ongoing “people’s initiative” is actually a “congressional initiative”.

“The need for constitutional change is very much incumbent…Kniadto pa na…kada president…sige lang na’g ka postpone-postpone, pero kinahanglan ibutang nato sa ensakto,” Rama said.

Rama said he shared his stand on the matter with Vice President Sara Duterte during her visit to the City Hall yesterday for the signing of memorandum of agreement between the Department of Education and the Cebu City government for the hosting of Palarong Pambansa.

 “I have been telling her that as far as PDP Laban, we have agreed not to add fuel to fire,” said Rama.

According to Rama, the vice president was also very careful in handling the issue.

 “Ang kang VP, kita man ko’s iyang porma nga she would not want to also cause trouble...and that is a very good posturing…Wala sa siyay reaction...Very careful kayo na siya,” Rama said.

After meeting with Rama, the vice president also took some time out to visit Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia at the Capitol.

Sara thanked the governor for the Capitol’s feeding program benefiting 878,619 students from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

“Nagpasalamat ko sa iyahang suporta sa Department of Education, particularly kadtong feeding program sa Probinsya sa Cebu dinha sa atoang mga learners sa mga public schools, kay dako kaayo siya nga tabang sa performance sa mga estudyante dinha sa sulod sa classrooms and of course sa mga pamilya,” Sara said.  (CEBU NEWS)