The Negros-based Public Interest Forum (PIF) is calling on the people and faith communities “to keep their vigilance and readiness at all times to stand up and resist all attempts at undermining the pillars of our democratic and sovereign life”.
The PIF, a local ecumenical voluntary agency composed of religious leaders, academics, researchers, writers, artists, and students committed to social reform and people empowerment, issued the call in a statement released Friday, May 6.
They expressed concern over the trends in the run up to May 9 polls.
PIF cited the flooding of social media with surveys leading the public to believe that the Ferdinand ”BBM” Marcos Jr.–Sarah Duterte ticket is the sure winner in the elections. This narrative is hyped by various surveying and think tank outlets whose slant is often for BBM-Sara, it said.
This trendsetting serves as a justification that should BBM lose to Vice President Robredo, it’s the latter and her supporters to be blamed, the PIF added.
It also cited persistent bashing of Robredo and her running mate Kiko Pangilinan by a huge army of trolls, BBM-Sara groups, and administration supporters, and the repeated narrative charging the big Leni-Kiko rallies as muscle-flexing for an anti-BBM people power if Leni is defeated, and worse, that these rallies are backed by the leftist groups, the PIF said.
PIF also said pro-administration political figures and pro-Marcos and Duterte groups have been making the rounds, spinning lies that the pro-Robredo groups plan to provoke and stir destabilization should Leni lose to BBM.
The same accusers are warning that President Duterte will not hesitate to impose emergency rule and establish a revolutionary government should anti BBM-Sara protests turn loose, the PIF said.
The PIF is worried that the outcome of any of these trends, especially the return of Marcos and the perpetuation of Duterte in power, could heavily affect people’s rights, welfare, safety, and national stability.
PIF said “our choice for a national leadership should be on the basis of their character, exemplary track records in good governance, honesty to oneself and truthfulness to historical records, capacity to address our declining economy and worsening indebtedness, and no less capacity to unify our people in their quest for a life of prosperity with dignity, sovereignty, and peace”.