The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) strongly denied any involvement with the tumultuous incidents that transpired during the anti-corruption rallies held on Sunday.
PDP made this clarification following a report from Politiko linking three of its leaders to the commotion near Malacañang Palace.
“The [PDP] condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the violence that erupted yesterday during the anti-corruption rallies in Metro Manila… At the same time, we also condemn just as vigorously the attempts by certain sectors to falsely pin the blame on supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte for the said violence,” the party said in a statement on Tuesday.
PDP officials linked to the riots include PDP National Capital Region president Bernie Ang and PDP Deputy Spokesman Ferdinand Topacio.
Meanwhile, former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez and former Manila congressman Harry Angping were also tagged in the incident.
Topacio told Manila Standard in an interview Monday evening that the report was “ridiculous” adding that they are physically present in Mendiola such that they can be affected by the mayhem.
It is only part of the psywar effort of the government to intimidate them, he added.
Meanwhile, he shared that guidelines were circulated by the party several days before the said rally, which included an instruction to “reject violence” during the movement.
