THE EXECUTIVE Secretary on Sunday dispelled former President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s accusations of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. pursuing a dictatorship when his term ends in 2028 as “baseless” and “ridiculous.”
“As our actions have consistently demonstrated, we will stay the course in upholding the Constitution, in adhering to the rule of law, and in respecting the rights of the people,” Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin said in a statement.
Former presidential legal counsel Salvador S. Panelo did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.
During a political rally at the weekend, the former President accused Mr. Marcos of likely imposing martial law to extend his time in power after his term ends in 2028, citing late former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr. who imposed martial rule in 1972.
A popular street uprising toppled the late dictator’s regime in February 1986, forcing him and his family to flee into exile in the United States.
“We will not backslide into the oppressive ways of the previous administration, when critics were jailed upon trumped-up charges and when kill orders were publicly issued with glee and obeyed blindly.”
The government estimates that at least 6,117 people died in Mr. Duterte’s anti-illegal drug campaign between July 1, 2016, and May 31, 2022, but human rights groups say the death toll could be as high as 30,000. — John Victor D. Ordoñez
