Manila: Lawmakers on Monday said the actions of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. are far from being a dictator, emphasizing that he has not retaliated despite repeated threats directed at him and his family. House Assistant Majority Leader and Lanao del Sur Representative Zia Alonto Adiong stated that Marcos' actions do not reflect those of a dictator, as he has not responded with vindictiveness despite threats against him and his family, including Vice President Sara Duterte's assassination threat against the President and her warning to exhume his father's remains.
According to Philippines News Agency, Adiong highlighted that Marcos has upheld the separation of powers by allowing institutions to function independently. He pointed out that many legal opinions suggested Marcos request the Senate to convene for an emergency session, yet the President refrained from doing so. Adiong also emphasized the absence of politically motivated removals of justices or imprisonments of opposition senators under Marcos' leadership. He referenced the cases of former Senator Leila de Lima and former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, both of whom faced legal challenges under the Duterte administration.
House Assistant Majority Leader and Manila Rep. Ernix Dionisio echoed Adiong's sentiment, describing Marcos as among the lenient presidents. Dionisio suggested that among the recent Presidents of the country, Marcos is regarded as one of the kindest, thus distancing him from any dictatorial image.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte accused Marcos of leaning toward dictatorship during an indignation rally in Mandaue City, speculating that Marcos might follow in the footsteps of his father, the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., and potentially declare martial law to extend his rule beyond 2028. However, House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega dismissed Duterte's claims, accusing the former president and his allies of spreading misinformation. Ortega criticized Duterte's camp for allegedly creating a 'factory of fake news.'
Malaca±ang also refuted Duterte's allegations, with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin stating the administration does not take them seriously. Bersamin characterized Duterte's claim as a 'budol (scam),' calling it a product of a 'one-man fake news factory.'
