Opposition coalition 1Sambayan sees “traces of the dark days of Martial Law” in President Duterte’s latest order that bars Cabinet members and other executives from attending the Senate’s inquiry into the anomalous, multi-billion transactions the government entered into with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Inc. for overpriced medical supplies.
In a statement, the 24 convenors of 1Sambayan, denounced the pronouncement as it shows “signs of a return of Marcosian authoritarian tactics.”
“We see traces of the dark days of Martial Law in the president’s recent pronouncements: no respect for the rule of law, no separation of powers between branches of government, and no regard for due process, all done to protect the interest of a private company, his Chinese friends and their friends in government,” the convenors said.
“It is the same heavy-handed, dictatorial and authoritarian despotic rule employed by the late President Ferdinand Marcos,” they noted.
1Sambayan appealed to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) “to remain loyal to the country and the people, and ignore this illegal and unconstitutional order, even if it came from their commander-in-chief, who is certainly not acting like the father of a nation.”
READ: Duterte to block Cabinet members from appearing in Senate probe
“It is an abuse of his commander-in-chief powers, and it does not give him carte blanche to use it to prevent other agencies of government from performing their mandates,” the group said.
The call came after the President, in a public address, asked the police and military not to arrest anyone ignoring the Senate’s subpoenas in its inquiry into the alleged overpriced medical supplies procured by the government, particularly the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (DBM-PS), from Pharmally, a newly minted company that bagged at least P10 billion worth of government contracts.
Duterte had ordered Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to prepare the proper issuance to bar Cabinet officials from attending the investigation headed led by Senate blue ribbon committee, which Senator Richard “Dick” Gordon chairs.
The Chief Executive said he issued the order because Gordon has been using his powers in a “reckless manner.”
READ: Senate heeds Duterte decision; Cabinet men who snub hearings will not be arrested
1Sambayan called on the public “to put an end to this regime, to always be vigilant and alert,” adding that the Duterte administration has shown traces of Marcos’ dictatorship through the closure of ABS-CBN, widespread graft and corruption, economic recession, and thousands of extrajudicial killings, and violations of human rights.
“We also encourage everyone, especially those who will cast their votes come May 2022, let us unite in choosing leaders who will put the people first above their own interests and those of their friends, who will restore democracy and strengthen our democratic institutions, and who will steer our country to recovery from this pandemic and economic decline,” the statement said.
1Sambayan on Thursday, Sept. 30, endorsed Vice President Leni Robredo for president, saying that she’s the right person to lead the country away from the threat of another Duterte or Marcos coming to power.
The vice president earlier said she will be willing to face former Senator Bongbong Marcos, the only son of the dictator, in the electoral race again after she defeated him in the 2016 vice presidential elections.
Despite still being undecided to run as president, Robredo maintained that her goal is to stop the return of the Marcoses.