Up to DOJ to investigate Singson’s ‘seditious’ call, says Castro
A Palace official said on Tuesday that it was up to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to decide whether or not it should investigate former Ilocos Sur Gov. Chavit Singson for his call for Filipinos to hold a big rally to remove President Marcos from office.
Asked if Singson’s appeal could be considered inciting to sedition, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro replied in the affirmative.
“In my opinion, as a lawyer, yes, because encouraging people to overthrow the President, to remove the President, that is inciting to sedition,” Castro said in a dzMM interview.
But she added that the Palace was leaving it to the DOJ to determine whether or not to launch a motu proprio investigation.
At the same time, Castro dismissed Singson’s challenge to hold a debate with Mr. Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez on alleged anomalies in flood control projects.
No time for debate
“The President is extremely busy. He did not go on vacation just to study the budget. Debating is not the solution to preventing corruption. The answer is action, not vacation,” she said.
At a press briefing on Monday, Singson urged religious groups to come together and stage a protest against corruption “as soon as possible.”
“The one-time, big-time rally should happen ASAP. But I still have to talk to all religious organizations that oppose graft and corruption,” the former Ilocos Sur governor said.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines also issued a response to Singson who had asked the military to take a stand against corruption.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines has consistently supported calls for good governance and anticorruption,” AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a briefing at Camp Aguinaldo.
“Addressing allegations regarding civilian governments, public funding or economic policy fall exclusively under the jurisdiction of civilian courts and oversight bodies, not the military. This must be addressed through established legal processes,” she added.
Singson made the appeal to uniformed personnel at the same briefing on Monday, saying the military and the police were “being given crumbs while others take billions.”
“At a time when national unity is paramount to defend our sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, we urge the public to be discerning,” Padilla said.
