Liberal Party vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo (left) urges her supporters to vote for Team Daang Matuwid during a rally held at the South Cotabato Sports Complex in Koronadal City on Friday (April 1, 2016). (MNS photo)
MANILA, Apr 6 (Mabuhay) – Liberal Party vice presidential candidate Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo asked the government and various interest groups to cease finger-pointing and focus on the interest and welfare of the drought-stricken farmers first.
“Walang mangyayari sa pagtuturuan dahil wala itong maitutulong para mapabuti ang kalagayan ng ating mga magsasaka (Nothing will come out of finger-pointing as it will not help the condition of our farmers),” Robredo said in a statement.
A wounded protester is helped by his comrades after a violent dispersal of a rally in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato on Friday. Several people were wounded when the protesters, demanding help from the government because of the effects of drought on their farms, were dispersed by authorities.(MNS photo)
“Unahin muna natin tingnan ang kalagayan ng mga magsasaka, pati na ang kanilang mga pamilya, dahil alam naman natin na sila talaga’y naapektuhan ng mariing tagtuyot (Let us first focus on the welfare of the farmers and their families because they are the ones directly affected by drought),” she added.
The Camarines Sur representative has earlier demanded that heads should roll at the aftermath of the violent dispersal of farmers which killed at least three people and injured scores of people.
“Bakit kailangang mangyari? Bakit kailangang may patayan? Bakit kailangang may barilan? Dapat sana hindi. Ang pinakabuod ng problema, marami na tayong kababayan sa Mindanao na naghihirap because of the drought,” Robredo said.
Human rights groups protest the violent dispersal of farmers in Kidapawan City at the Department of Agriculture on Friday. Two people died and over a hundred were injured when members of the Philippine National Police clashed with activists and farmers affected by drought in Mindanao.(MNS photo)
(Why did this have to happen? Why did people have to die? Why did guns have to be fired? It should have been avoided. The root of the problem is that many of our countrymen in Mindanao are suffering from the drought.)
The Palace has also supported Robredo’s call to mount an impartial probe on the incident, saying that it is waiting for the reports of the Commission on Human Rights and the Philippine National Police.
“The CHR is investigating the incident. The people should understand that this is something we do not want to happen,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said on state-run radio dzRB on Sunday. (MNS)