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‘Heal Our Land’ not destab plot, just call for end to killings, say opposition lawmakers


Some opposition senators on Sunday joined the Catholic Church's call to end the killings amid the government's war against illegal drugs and denied the event was meant to destabilize the administration.

"Unang-una this is a religious event and tayo'y nagsimba para tayo ay magkaroon ng kapayapaan sa ating bansa, matigil natin itong marahas na pamamaraan," Senator Franklin Drilon told GMA News Online.

"Wala pong katotohanan 'yan. Walang destabilisasyon. Tayo pong lahat ay nagtipon-tipon para sama-samang magdasal sa kapayapaan," he added.

In a separate ambush interview, Senator Antonio Trillanes said, "Well primarily nandito kami to support the call of the Catholic Church na huminto ang patayan. Mag-heal 'yung ating bansa."

"This is an opportunity for all of us to recalibrate nang sa ganon malaman natin talaga na mali 'yung nangyayari sa ating bayan," he added. "The line has been drawn kung nasan 'yung mabuti o masama. Definitely dapat alam mo na masama 'yung nangyayari sa bansa."

Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano, another staunch critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, said they are just joining the public in calling for an end to the killings.

"Di po kami naniniwala [na] dahil lahat po ng nag-criticize sa gobyerno ay nagde-destabilize. Kaya nga kami nandito dinadaan namin sa legal na kaparaanan. Ito ay isang misa, pagpapakita na sama-sama ang taong-bayan laban sa patayan. Hindi ho tayo nagpaplano nang patago upang tanggalin ang gobyernong ito," Alejano said.

"Ipinapakita namin sa kanila na kami ay nandito openly na nakisama sa taong-bayan upang tigilan na itong patayan," he added.

The event started with a mass celebrated by Archbishop Socrates Villegas.

After the mass, various sectoral and church groups, including the youth, marched towards the People Power Monument for a candle-lighting ceremony and cultural program. — BM, GMA News

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