By Sonya Delgado
After claiming that there is a “fractured governance” former President Rodrigo Duterte challenged the military to correct it.
“There is a fractured governance. Nabali na, hindi lang na strain,” Duterte said in a press conference in Davao City Monday evening.
Duterte made the statement after coming to the defense of Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, who was cited in contempt by Congress and was attempted to be transferred to the women’s correctional facility.
He claimed that the midnight attempt to transfer Lopez showed that the people have nobody and nowhere to run to.
“You can’t go to the Supreme Court because it is a long process. You can’t trust Congress because tao ni Marcos si Romualdez,” Duterte said.
“Nobody can correct Marcos, nobody can correct Romualdez. It is a long process in the Supreme Court,” he added.
The former president said that there is no urgent remedy to redress grievance.
“If you want a redress of grievance there is no urgent remedy. It is only the military who can correct it,” Duterte said.
Duterte added that he is not advocating for a military junta, but only challenging the military to take a firm stand.
“Hindi kudeta. Sabihin lang nila na ayaw na nami ng laro ninyo,” he said.
Being a former president himself, Duterte does not support another people’s power because of what it will do to the country’s economy and image.
He also said that there is no more Duterte magic that can mobilize the people.
Duterte also accused anew Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of being an addict and continued to challenge the military and police if they would still continue to support a drug addict.
“Until when can you continue to support a drug addict president?” he asked.
Marcos has already refuted this claim, but it is an issue that refuses to die.
While Duterte brushed off the Office of the Vice President’s confidential fund issue that put Lopez in detention, he accused the Marcos administration of hemorrhaging the country’s coffers.
“Ang tingin ko mas mabigat na problema na dapat malaman ng Pilipino ay naga hemorrhage na ang Pilipinas,” Duterte said.
“This government does not have any projects, just maintenance and aids. The government’s money is being distributed left and right by Romualdez,” he added.
“Wala nang pera. Ubos na sa ayuda,” Duterte said.
The former president also alleged that the government put in danger the pensions of private and government workers, including the military when they took money from the Social Security Service, Government Service Insurance System, Land Bank of the Philippines, and Development Bank of the Philippines to put in to the Maharlika Fund