• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday called on local officials in Negros Occidental to avoid taking sides in the feud between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte.
The Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) on Monday said it is looking into the veracity of Vice President Sara Duterte’s pronouncement that she hired a hitman to assassinate President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Lacson called on local officials to focus on their work to help improve economic conditions in their respective communities, stressing that taking sides will not do any good for the country.
In a statement, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) Negros Occidental extend its unwavering support to the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in the face of the recent threats against him, First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
At this critical juncture, the President’s leadership is more vital than ever in safeguarding the democratic values and security of our country, said PFP provincial chairman Anton Occeño, also a party mate of PBBM.
We stand firm with the President as he confronts these threats and continues to uphold the rule of law. It is crucial that, as a nation, we remain united in support of the government’s efforts to combat any form of violence that undermines the stability of our nation, Occeño said.
PFP Negros Occidental also said it condemned any act that seeks to disrupt peace and order.
Lacson said that the Department of Justice has already issued a statement that they will use the law to deal with it.
The way that VP Sara spoke is very typical of a Duterte. The PI word is very common. I think that’s how they are when they are emotional, the governor said.
Lacson, however, stressed that the threat addressed to three individuals is different. “Definitely, the government will not just take this sitting down, and they will go ahead and investigate, find out who is this individual that was given an instruction by VP Sara,” he added.
While proper agencies are now handling the probe, let’s not take the law into our own hands. Let the law proceed, and we just have to wait what the DOJ finds out, Lacson further said.
He agrees with observations that the feud between top government officials will create political and economic instability in the country, especially if everybody focuses on it.
If we will just continue to work with our respective communities, we will be okay, he added.
PNP CIDG chief Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said a grave threat against any person is punishable under the Revised Penal Code.
“But if it involves the President, it is an altogether different ball game and another law comes in,” Torres said.*
