Former president Rodrigo Duterte and daughter Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte joined the seventh day of the Laban Kasama ang Bayan prayer rally at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila on Tuesday evening.
The former leader attended the prayer rally to show his support to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, who is facing a contempt order by the Senate.
The rally was staged not only to seek justice for the alleged unfair presecution against Quiboloy and the SMNI at both Congress and Senate but also to call to end corruption, terrorism, criminality, corruption, and illegal drugs in the country.
In his message, the former president reiterated his opposition against the attempt to amend the 1987 Constitution.
He bared that it was the late former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. who first tinkered with the Philippine Constitution, and now being repeated by the son, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“Bantayan ninyo ang Constitution. It would have a long and lasting mesirable life for you all. Ang unang gumalaw ng ating konstitusyon, iniiba-iba niya, sir Marcos (Sr). Maniwala kayo o hindi, after a few decades ang pangalawang taong gustong kumalkal ng konstitusyon natin, Marcos ulit,” Duterte said.
Duterte said when any government officials move the constitution, nothing can stop them anymore.
“Ano ang dahilan? Sabi nila ito lang mga provisions – edukasyon, papasukin natin yung Princeton, okay naman tayo, yung UP natin hindi man matatalo. Education, advertisement, para sa akin, hindi na kailangan. Yan ang excuse ni Marcos noon, pati ang excuse ni Marcos ngayon. Ito excuse lang ito para mabuksan ang constitution. Pag magalaw ang constitution walang makakapigil, lahat na everything goes,” he said.
Duterte urged the crowd not to agree to the People’s Initiative (PI) because the Philippines will be destroyed.
“Ang gusto nilang pakialaman yung termino ng tatay niya (PBBM) at itong constitution ngayon ni Martin Romualdez at ang asawa na si Liza. Ano ang gusto nila? Pahabaan ang constitution na nilapastangan ni Marcos, napaalis siya sa Pilipinas, sinauli yung original pero ang ginawa one term lang ang president. Six years walang reelection, kagaya sa akin,” he said.
Meanwhile, the vice president said she did not want to miss the opportunity to thank the members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), supporters of Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy, and the personalities of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) for their support to the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education.
In a recorded message by SMNI, the vice president said the perception is that Quiboloy has already been given a guilty verdict even though the hearing was based only on the allegations of witnesses whose identities were concealed and did not prove their credibility.
“Sa ginagawang pandinig ay tila pinatawan na ng guilty verdict si Pastor Apollo Quiboloy kahit na nakabatay lamang ang pandinig na ito sa mga paratang ng mga testigo na nagkukubli ng kanilang katauhan at hindi napatunayan ang kredibilidad. Marami sa atin ang naniniwala na ang dinaranas ngayon ni Pastor Quiboloy ay isang pandarahas at hindi patas,” the vice president said.
She also joined the call for a fair trial in the proper court for Quiboloy and SMNI.
