Organizers Rivera, Uson explain reasons for ‘palit bise’

Organizers of the "palit bise" rally claimed that among the reasons behind the plan to seek the ouster of Vice President Leni Robredo was her lack of support for the current administration and her poor performance in office.

When "Bawal ang Pasaway Kay Maren Winnie" host, Solita "Winnie" Monsod asked Atty. Bruce Rivera and Mocha Uson why they wanted Robredo impeached, Uson replied, "Dahil po plastic siya."

"Sabi niya para siya sa mga laylayan. Pero mag-iisang taon na, ano'ng ginawa niya? Puro presscon, naka focus na lang sa camera. Puro pagpapa-cute," she added. "Puro na lang dada itong si Leni, wala nang ginawang action, Madam."

According to the Office of the Vice President's website, during Robredo's 6-month stint as Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) chair, 66,000 families received socialized and low cost housing. Additionally, 17,000 houses were distributed to Yolanda victims.

The vice president's current endeavor is the Angat Buhay program, which aims to address poverty in different parts of the country with the help of both public and private sectors.

"Yung palit bise po, ang layunin po noon ay mawala si Leni Robredo sa legal na paraan," Uson clarified. "Pwedeng, sinisigaw ng iba impeachment. Sigaw ng iba, resign. Iba naman po, recount."

Free speech

Rivera, meanwhile, refused to give details on the impeachment complaint they planned to file against Robredo.

"The people who funded this rally, gusto nilang matanggal si Leni. It's a political act, kami as lawyers we have to do our job. We are preparing for it," he said.

Nevertheless, Rivera emphasized that their impeachment complaint was different from the complaint filed by  Atty. Oliver Lozano and Melchor Chavez last March 20. 

Rivera and Uson would not say who they wanted to replace Robredo with.

Uson, who admitted being a "die-hard" Duterte supporter, said the activities aimed at seeking Robredo's ouster was their way of exercising their right to free expression.

"Siguro po, maganda rin na ito yung pagkakataon na pinabulaanan namin yung iniisip ng mga hepa na dilaw na ang Duterte followers daw ay blind followers. Kung ano ang sabihin ni Duterte sunod lang kami," she exaplained.

"May mga sarili po kaming isip. Sila ay Duterte supporters, kami rin. Pero may sarili kaming isip na ito ang nararamdaman namin. At kalayaan namin ang i-express ang pagka dismaya kay Leni."

Uson elaborated further that their wish to have Robredo removed from office solidified after the vice president recorded a speech for the 60th United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs annual meeting in which she revealed the "palit-ulo" scheme used in the war on drugs. 

"We gave VP Leni Robredo a chance, na sige Mam, please support the president. Kaya lang po, sa kalaunan napapansin po ng mga kababayan natin nababasa ko po majority sa mga comment po nila pati po ako na imbes na tumulong sa nation building, ang nangyayari po parang puro na lang siya paninira," said Uson.

"The last straw was yung ginawa po niyang  video addressed sa UN. Na para kasing problema yan sa isang pamilya yan e. Na dapat inayos niyo muna dito sa ating bansa. Nagtanong ka muna sa PNP (Philippine National Police) bago mo ipinalabas yung maling statistics sa UN. Marami po ang nadismaya dun," she added.

Typhoon, speeches

Another issue they raised against Robredo was the vice president's overseas trip before a typhoon struck the Bicol Region.

"Number One, yung bagyo. Bicol region was ravaged by a really destructive storm. She was in the United States," Rivera said.

"What I am saying is that You are supposed to be the second highest person of power in the land. Your region was hit by a typhoon. The least you can do is to be there. It's not she would be the one doing the help. But at least, people would see that Leni is there the people would feel the sense of encouragement."

Robredo had admitted that her scheduled trip for their traditional family reunion was unfortunate. Nevertheless, she was communicating with her staff in the Philippines, and they had already established a response team even before the typhoon hit. 

Uson, meanwhile, also connected Robredo to anti-Duterte rallies that called for President Duterte's ouster.

She added that Robredo was quick to criticize drug-related killings, but she did not give credit to the president's beneficial projects.

"We expect the vice president, not to be a destabilizer," Rivera chimed. "Not just the UN (message), so many speeches in the past. In our impeachment complaint, we have six speeches that she has done. All of those pointing to the fact that bodies are in the streets people are killed right there and then."

As for the "bodies on the streets," Rivera countered that there were "always bodies on the streets, even during the time of [President Benigno Aquino III]."

"We're saying is the problem has always been there. But to highlight it in a way that it is going to aggravate it and put us in a situation wherein the Philippines looks like killing field. That is not acceptable for me," Rivera added.

‘Wala po naman kaming nakikita na patayan’

Neither did Rivera believe that the number of recent extra-judicial killings exceeded those during the entire dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. Out of the 7,000 killings, he said, only 2,300 were related to drugs.

"I am not justifying killings. It's just that in a war on drugs, you have to be... it's not foolproof," he said.

"Gabi-gabi po kami nagsho-show, wala po naman kaming nakikita na patayan sa lansangan po," Uson interjected.

But when confronted with the nightly reports and pictures of the killings, Uson replied, "Meron po siguro, mam. Kaya lang po, unfair naman po na sabihin natin extra-judicial killings na iniutos ng pangulo."

Rivera and Uson revealed that the April 2 "palit bise" rally raised P2.1 million, mostly overseas filipino workers (OFWs), which was beyond their P1 million target.

Rivera said they planned to use the money to fund "palit bise" roadshows in Cebu and Davao. — Bernadette Parco/DVM, GMA News