spot_img
29 C
Philippines
Thursday, March 28, 2024

‘Luneta rally validates Duterte support’

- Advertisement -

SPEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez on Monday said the turnout of supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte at the Luneta rally on Saturday was an affirmation he enjoyed the support of the majority of the Filipino people.

“Clearly, what we witnessed last Saturday… was an affirmation of the people’s strong support for the President—on the basis of the platform of government; that he was given a huge mandate by the people,” Alvarez said in a television interview.

Alvarez said comparison between the turnout in the separate events in Metro Manila on Sunday—the Edsa commemoration near Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City and the Luneta rally—could not be helped. 

Alvarez noted that participation in the Luneta event was purely voluntary.

Protesters from different sectors and universities gathered at the People Power Monument near Camp Aguinaldo during the weekend to decry the burial of former President Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani on Nov. 18, 2016. 

- Advertisement -

Alvarez also out that Duterte supporters held similar gatherings in several urban centers, including Cebu City, Davao City, Butuan City, and Cagayan De Oro City, among others.

“The Duterte supporters showed the Filipino people is [sic] one with the President,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez said while the turnout apparently did not reach a million, there were “enough warm bodies.” Police estimates the number of the Luneta crowd at 215,000.

Alvarez also dismissed allegations the bigger turnout at Luneta was prompted by a memorandum of the Department of the Interior and Local Government which “encouraged” local government units to participate in the event.

Alvarez said such a memo was not necessary.

In the case of the Edsa People Power anniversary celebration, Alvarez said it should not be exclusive to the supporters of the late President Corazon Aquino and former Pres. Benigno Aquino III.

“People Power is for everybody. It does not have exclusivity,” Alvarez said.

Meanwhile, Alvarez said singer Jim Paredes should have tolerated the presence of Duterte Youth at the Edsa People Power anniversary commemoration. 

A video of the confrontation between Paredes and the youth supporters of President Duterte has gone viral, where the singer was shown heaping insults on the group who chose to remain silent.

- Advertisement -

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles