ATTEMPTS to suppress a legitimate opposition are dangerous for any government, warned Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) deputy spokesman lawyer Ferdinand Topacio during the “Balitaan” news forum of the Manila City Hall Reporters’ Association (MACHRA) held Tuesday morning at the Century Seafood Restaurant in Malate, Manila.
Topacio cited as an example the alleged efforts to link him and former Manila City Administrator Bernie Ang—who serves as PDP’s National Capital Region president—to violent protesters involved in the recent anti-corruption rally in Manila.
According to Topacio, it is very, very dangerous to try and send a chilling message to legitimate oppositionists not to rally or they will be accused of things, no matter how frivolous such accusations may be.
He stressed that silencing the legitimate opposition would leave only violent movements to challenge the administration.
“Ang matitira diyan, sino? ’Yung violent opposition. Kaya ’wag ninyong sikilin ang centrist opposition dahil ’yan ang peaceful opposition,” he emphasized.
Topacio explained that the legitimate opposition works within the constitutional and electoral process.
Once the legitimate opposition is crushed or gotten out of the way, what will be left as oppositionists will be those who resort to extra-constitutional means to achieve what they want.
“‘Yan ang danger kung tatakutin ninyo ang lehitimong oposisyon,” said Topacio, adding that at the moment, the PDP is emerging as the major opposition now that the ‘yellows’, ‘pinks’ and even leftists have already seemingly co-opted or assimilated with the administration.
Well, even if Topacio did not mention, we all know which groups espouse or are enablers of violence. These are the very same groups that never, ever condemned violence during rallies.
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