According to Labor leader and presidential candidate Leodegario “Ka Leody” De Guzman, violent rebellions are a result of Philippine history, citing specific administrations who he says used violence and force against its citizens such as the Ferdinand Marcos Sr. administration, the incumbent administration under President Rodrigo Duterte, and even Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration.
“Tingin ko, walang tao na gustong lumaban ng armado sa gobyerno na full battle gear yung ating gobyerno kumpleto ng armas, tanke lahat-lahat (No one wants to take up arms against the government, especially when the government is fully armed with guns, tanks, everything),” said De Guzman at the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) presidential debate on Tuesday, Feb. 15.
“Pero umaabot sa ganun eh dahil sa kasaysayan ng ating bansa ay puro panunupil at gumagamit ng dahas, pumapatay. Panahon ni Marcos, Panahon ni Duterte, kay Gloria ang daming pinatay (It reaches that point because our country’s history is full of violence and death. The time of Marcos, the time of Duterte, the time of Gloria, many were killed),” he asserted.
But, former senator and rival presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. who was also present for the SMNI presidential debate rejected De Guzman's explanation for violent rebellions, explaining that he does not agree with their ideologies.
“Kahit anong paliwanag ang gagawin mo, hindi ako maaaring sumang-ayon sa ideolohiya na may kasamang armed struggle para pabagsakin ang gobyerno (No matter how you explain it, I don’t align with ideologies that involve armed struggles to bring down the government),” retorted Marcos Jr.
De Guzman countered that violent rebellions are not a matter of ideology, saying that workers and rebels do not want to strike or fight the government but are forced to do so due to social injustices and inequalities such as contractual employment, low wages, the disencouragement of workers' unions.
Before this exhange, Vilma Absalon, mother of college student Kieth Absalon who was killed by an improvised explosive device planted by the New People’s Army (NPA) during a bike ride last June 2021, asked the candidates how they would handle the terrorist activities of groups such as the NPA.