By Leonardo Micua

 

SENATOR Panfilo Lacson’s admission of a coordinated effort between November 16 and 17 to pressure President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. into resignation was met with failure, as the majority of Filipinos oppose the idea of a civil-military junta leading a caretaker government.

During this period, the Iglesia ni Cristo held a rally at Rizal Park in Manila that was unexpectedly shortened to two days, while the United People’s Initiative (UPI), with members from the ranks of retired officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, organized a concurrent demonstration at the People Power Monument in Quezon City.

Lacson described these actions as “coordinated, orchestrated, and calibrated,” highlighting the sudden emergence on social media of former Congressman Zaldy Co, who accused Marcos and his cousin, former Speaker Martin Romualdez, of orchestrating a P100 billion insertion into the 2025 national budget.

Further controversy arose when Senator Imee Marcos, the president’s sister, disclosed her brother’s alleged involvement with drugs, but without citing any concrete evidence to prove her allegation.

Lacson revealed he received a text urging him to join the plot for a civil-military junta, which he promptly dismissed, citing the unconstitutional nature of the proposed regime change.

He detailed that the plotters aimed to reset the government while excluding both President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte, contrary to the established succession rules that dictate the Senate President and the Speaker of the House would step in during such transitions if the two highest government officials will be unqualified.

Additionally, another faction attempted to compel Marcos to resign, with Vice President Duterte as his successor. This effort also failed, as the Iglesia ni Cristo prioritized their rally’s focus on transparency and accountability over political machinations, although Senator Marcos was allowed to speak and criticized her brother’s alleged drug use.

Following the INC rally’s premature conclusion, there were reports that some agitators encouraged participants to march towards Malacanang, but their calls largely went unheeded.

Looking ahead, today’s multi-sector rally versus corruption in front of the People Power Monument will not demand President Marcos’s resignation,  as clarified by organizers. Instead, it will advocate for enhanced transparency, greater public accountability, and the prompt prosecution of individuals involved in ghost and substandard flood control projects, including contractors, DPWH officials, and various government officials.

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We saw on video, SINAG founder Rosendo So, fuming mad over the alleged quarrying on some 20-hectare fertile farmlands in Sta. Maria town, obviously, with permits coming from the Bureau of Mines and Geo-Sciences of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

SINAG president So is bringing this matter to the Senate and expects the committees on agriculture and on natural resources of the upper chamber of Congress to conduct their investigation in aid of legislation over the wanton destruction of agricultural lands, purportedly for black sand mining and for other purposes. 

 The two companies, allegedly given permits to quarry, created some ugly craters on previously productive farm lands being planted with rice and corn, which is considered a big loss to agriculture, but probably a gain to the mining and even construction industries. 

Observers said these ugly craters could soon pose a big environmental hazard since the areas being quarried are very close to the Agno River. 

Engr. So should find out if the owners of these lands previously obtained a resolution from the local legislative body seeking the conversion of their farm lands from agricultural and commercial use by the Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform, and even the DENR. Such a resolution, if any, must be submitted to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for review. 

If not, the quarry permits given by the BGMS are invalid from the very start. The quarrying must be stopped.